Three gang-affiliated men from Chicago have been charged with murder in the "ambush-style" shooting deaths of three women in late January in an area just north of Beverly Hills in Southern California, police announced Friday.
Dejean Thompkins, 28, and Dontae Williams, 22, were both arrested in Chicago and Daries Stanford, 28, was arrested in New York over the past few weeks. All three are awaiting extradition to Los Angeles, the LAPD said.
Iyana Hutton, 33, Nenah Davis, 29, and Destiny Sims, 26, were fatally shot Jan. 28, while sitting in a car near their vacation rental in the Beverly Crest neighborhood, north of Beverly Hills.
All the victims and suspects are from the Chicago area, police said.
LOS ANGELES AUTHORITIES OFFER REWARD FOR INFO TO HELP SOLVE MURDER OF FORMER NBA STAR'S FATHER
Six others were injured in the shooting; police don’t believe the women were the intended targets.
The women had traveled to LA to see a rapper perform and were staying with friends at a vacation rental in Beverly Crest. They had just returned from a night of bowling when the shooting occurred, police said.
"This callous violent crime resulted in three murder victims and six attempted murder victims," LA Police Capt. Jonathan Tippet said in a news conference Friday. "Since this crime occurred, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide division Homicide Special Section detective shave worked tirelessly to bring these criminals to justice."
"The violence that occurs in Chicago today is having an effect on all of us," he added.
Tippet said that detectives also connected the Dec. 16, 2022, murder in North Hollywood of Julian Bynum, 30, to Thompkins who has now been charged with his murder as well.
In all, Thompkins faces four counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder and Williams and Stanford both face three counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder.
"In both of these cases, the suspects used ambush-style tactics on their unsuspecting victims," Tippet said.
INNOCENT LA FATHER KILLED AFTER DA GASCON GIVES VIOLENT CAREER CRIMINAL MULTIPLE DIVERSIONS
"On behalf of the LAPD we are saddened by this horrible loss of life and hope the arrests of those responsible for these acts will bring some comfort to the family and friends who lost their loved ones," he added.
The LA County District Attorney's Office has approved filing enhancements for the charges that could increase their sentences if convicted.
"This was a careless and senseless act that has left the victims’ families stunned and devastated," District Attorney Gascón said in statement. "This is another example of the widespread damage that can be done by gun violence. We must do more — whether it is through legislation or education — to stop mass shootings in order to make every community in Los Angeles County safer."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Joseph Iniguez, chief of staff to LA County District Attorney George Gascón, added in the press conference, "Due to these extraordinary circumstances and the incredible loss of life we have decided to file special circumstance allegations and gun enhancements in this case."
