The Signal Hill Police Department (SHPD) told the Signal Tribune this week that there are no updates or leads on the shooting incident last weekend nearby Lona’s City Limits Cantina that left one person injured.
A suspect fired a gun at a crowd of individuals in an alleyway nearby the restaurant the early morning of Saturday, Feb. 23, according to the SHPD. At 12:17am Saturday, the SHPD received a call of a shooting by Lona’s City Limits Cantina. Officers stated that, when they arrived, a large group of people at the bar claimed there was a fight between several people outside the establishment and that someone had fired a gun into a crowd in the alleyway.
“Right now, we’re working really hard with the police to remedy the situation,” said Lona Lee, owner of Lona’s City Limits Cantina, in a phone interview Feb. 27. “We’ve been here 20 years, and we’ve worked really hard to get where we’re at. We can’t allow this behavior [to ruin] that. We’re making stricter rules to do whatever it takes to keep this place safe and friendly. Our neighbors in our community are most important to us– and our customers.”
Originally identifying no victims in the incident, officers said they learned that a victim walked into a local hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the hand.
During the investigation, SHPD officers also located several shell casings in an alley in the rear of the location in Signal Hill.
The suspect is still outstanding. SHPD detectives are gathering evidence and reviewing surveillance-camera footage in the area.
Lee said she provided the department with surveillance footage, which she said is confidential for the investigation, from her restaurant.
The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) initially responded to the incident– phoned in as an “assault with a weapon call” in the 1100 block of East Wardlow Road at approximately 12:20am, according to Shaunna Dandoy, LBPD public-information officer, in a phone call Feb. 27.
As Lona’s City Limits Cantina borders Signal Hill and Long Beach, the LBPD arrived at the scene in the alleyway and determined the incident occurred exclusively in SHPD jurisdiction.
SHPD Sgt. Kelli Brown told the Signal Tribune Feb. 26 there are no developments on the matter.
Those who have information regarding the shooting can contact SHPD’s detective detail at (562) 989-7217.
Lee told the Signal Tribune that she was not at her restaurant when the shooting occurred, but she added that SHPD officers commended her staff for doing “a great job in the situation.”
She said that one officer suggested that the establishment buy I.D. scanners to identify people in future circumstances, as the suspect and the group of individuals involved in the incident outside the bar did go inside to purchase food and beverages at one point Friday evening before the shooting.
Lee said that, prior the incident, she had already upgraded the lighting and cameras at her restaurant, and she will work to make further improvements.
She added that many customers have visited the establishment and communicated with her over the phone to send their support during “this setback.” Lee said she wants the community to know that everyone at Lona’s City Limits Cantina is “working very hard on protecting our place.”
“I’ve had the attitude that, if you don’t come in peace, don’t come at all,” she said. “We’re very, very friendly. 80 percent of my employees have been with me 18 of the 20 years that we’ve been here, so we’re very much a close-knit family. […] I have shed many tears over this, because we are a good place here, and we want everybody to be happy and safe and enjoy their time while they’re here.”
Update (Feb. 28): This story has been updated to include information from the Signal Hill and Long Beach police departments and quotes from Lona Lee.
Editor’s note (Feb. 26): Previously, this article incorrectly stated that the incident took place inside Lona’s City Limits Cantina, when it in fact took place at a nearby alleyway.
