As many as five people ended up in critical condition after a shooting took place in the South Los Angeles neighborhood of Athens, California Tuesday (May 26), police said.

Gunshots rang out at around 1:40 a.m. (EST) near the intersection of Berendo Avenue and 119th Street, ABC 7 reported. Responding officers reportedly requested at least five ambulances to the scene.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department told the publication that they were treating five people who sustained bullet injuries. The department added that the victims were in front of a house when the shooting occurred.

The victims were declared stable but it was not immediately clear if they were the intended targets. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department described the suspect as wearing dark-colored clothing who fled the scene on foot.

The motive for the shooting is yet to be ascertained.

Last week, at least three people were hospitalized after sustaining gunshot wounds when a shooter opened fire at an Arizona shopping center. The alleged shooter also reportedly posted videos on Snapchat before launching the attack, identifying himself as Armando Hernandez, 20. The responding officers were quick to track down the suspect and arrest him. One of the victims was in critical condition, and the other two were recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.

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Researchers have said that white men under financial stress are most likely to feel emotionally attached to their guns. CC0 Creative Commons
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