Long Beach
Police Department

Update 6/22/2021:

On June 22, 2021, at approximately 11:49 a.m., detectives from the Special Investigations Division located and arrested Michael Purinton, a 29-year-old resident of Long Beach.

Purinton was sought after detectives identified him as an accomplice in the armed robbery and shooting of the surviving male adult victim.

Purinton was arrested without incident near his residence in the area of Spring Street and Pacific Avenue. He was transported to the Long Beach City Jail where he was booked on one count of robbery and is currently being held on $50,000 bail. Detectives plan to present their case to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office later this week for filing consideration.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Donald Collier or Leticia Gamboa at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the "P3 Tips" app to your smartphone (available at the Apple app store or Google Play), or by visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.

Update 6/14/2021:

On June 10, 2021, at approximately 3:00 p.m., the shooter of the 17-year-old decedent, a male adult, voluntarily entered Long Beach Police Department Headquarters to be interviewed by detectives.

At this point in the investigation, the shooter's actions appear to have been in defense of the original robbery victim, which has been corroborated by supporting evidence, including video surveillance footage.

At this time, the shooter has not been arrested, and detectives plan to present the facts of the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office once the investigation is complete.

The second robbery suspect has not yet been identified and remains outstanding.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Donald Collier or Leticia Gamboa at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the "P3 Tips" app to your smartphone (available at the Apple app store or Google Play), or by visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.

Original News Release Published on 5/29/2021:

On May 28, 2021 at approximately 11:20 p.m., officers were dispatched to a hotel in the 3600 block of Santa Fe Avenue regarding a fight that turned into a shooting which resulted in the death of a male.

The first arriving officers located a male victim in the parking area of the hotel suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to his upper torso. Officers rendered medical aid until Long Beach Fire Department personnel arrived and determined the victim to be deceased at the scene. The officers also located a male adult victim in a hotel room with a gunshot wound to his upper torso. The male adult victim was transported to a local hospital and is in stable condition.

Based on the preliminary investigation, the decedent contacted the shooting victim in the parking lot of the hotel and assaulted him while robbing him at gunpoint. During the robbery, another male suspect joined in the robbery, and the decedent fired a handgun multiple times, striking the robbery victim and striking the additional robbery suspect. The additional robbery suspect fled the scene on foot and is currently outstanding. The fight continued between the decedent and the robbery victim until another male adult subject intervened and shot the decedent and then fled the scene. He is also currently outstanding.

The decedent was identified by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office as a 17-year-old resident of the City of Long Beach.

The investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue to gather evidence. The incident is being investigated as gang-related.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Donald Collier or Leticia Gamboa at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the "P3 Tips" app to your smartphone (available at the Apple app store or Google Play), or by visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.