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A security guard was fatally shot early Wednesday at a private student housing complex near USC, and a suspect was taken into custody.
The shooting was reported just before 12:47 a.m. at the Lorenzo complex at 23rd and Flower streets, about a half-mile from the main USC campus. Upon their arrival, Los Angeles Police Department officers found the guard suffering from gunshot wounds, Officer Rosario Cervantes told City News Service.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not been released but the coroner’s office said he was in his 40s.
According to reports from the scene, the suspect may have been a trespasser who was confronted by the security guard. Witnesses said as many as a dozen shell casings were found at the scene.
The suspect was found sleeping in a parking area near the scene of the shooting and arrested, police said.
The LAPD later reported the suspect had a handgun in his possession which was recovered without incident.
Detectives reviewed surveillance video and determined the person they took into custody was the suspected shooter, police said. He was identified as 31-year-old Alexander Crawford and booked for suspicion of murder.
Detectives determined the handgun recovered with Crawford was the same caliber as the gun used to shoot the guard, police said.
Service on the Metro E (Expo) Line, which passes directly in front of the complex, was temporarily halted due to the police investigation. The transit agency provided buses to shuttle passengers through the area. Service was restored shortly after 9 a.m.
The guard was the father of a 13-year-old daughter and employed by Secure Net Alliance, CBS2 reported. The company set up a fundraiser to pay for burial expenses and help his daughter. It can be contacted at 818-848-4900 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
