2 Killed in Unrelated, Gang-Linked Attacks

Two men were killed Tuesday in unrelated attacks in the downtown Long Beach area, including a 61-year-old man who confronted a burglar in his home and was bludgeoned to death, police said.

Shots from a car killed an unidentified man along the 500 block of Daisy Avenue about 5:30 a.m. The victim’s 15-year-old male companion suffered a graze wound and was treated at a hospital. Detective Sgt. Bob Bell said both victims were believed to be gang members. Police were searching for a man and a woman seen fleeing the scene in a car.

An hour later, homicide detectives were notified of a second homicide 16 blocks away. They arrived at a home in the 400 block of Bonito Avenue and found a 61-year-old man dead. He had suffered severe head trauma. Bell said the man, who had lived at the home for a long time, apparently woke up to find a burglar in his home. A confrontation spilled out into the back yard and led to the victim’s beating death, police said.

There were no suspects.