Three people were hospitalized after a shooting Wednesday night in Hollywood during Halloween celebrations that became unruly, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The shooting occurred at about 10 p.m. near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Whitley Avenue, according to police. Two teenagers were wounded in the shooting, police said.
A 17-year-old boy was shot in the chest and leg, and taken to the hospital in critical condition, police said. A 14-year-old boy was shot in the foot and a 25-year-old man was struck in the buttocks.
There have been no arrests in connection with the shooting.
Officers were already deployed in the area due to Halloween celebrations. Unruly crowds began to form up and down Hollywood Boulevard throughout the night, and it appeared that as soon as officers stabilized one area, another area would erupt in violence.
Dozens of officers in riot gear responded to nearby Hollywood and Highland shortly after 10 p.m.
Largely costumed crowds spilled into traffic, ran in between cars and confronted officers starting as early as 9:30 p.m.
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A skirmish line of mounted officers was briefly stationed at the intersection of Hollywood and Wilcox. Throngs of officers on mounted patrol, bicycles and motorcycles descended on the area. Several LAFD crews were also on scene.
Traffic was snarled for miles. Drivers were not being allowed farther west on Hollywood Boulevard than Cahuenga Boulevard. Side streets were also jammed.
By 1:30 a.m., traffic in the area appeared to return to normal though vehicles were not allowed to turn onto Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue. A lone police helicopter continued to survey the scene.
Halloween celebrations in Hollywood pale in comparison to those in adjacent West Hollywood, where some 400,000 people were expected to attend the annual Costume Carnaval.
Still, Hollywood has become an increasingly popular spot for Halloween partiers, hundreds of which appeared to line the streets Wednesday night.
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