[UPDATE Monday 31 OCT 2011, 8:24 PM – Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Press Release] –

Sheriff’s Homicide detectives are continuing their investigation into the fatal shooting of one male adult, and a second male adult who was wounded. It occurred at a strip mall on the 18000 block of Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country. Four suspects have been detained.

First to be apprehended, a young suspect sits in the back of a sheriff detective's car at the condo complex.

Detectives have learned that the injured victim arranged to meet four suspects to sell a Nintendo DS Game System. The suspects attempted to rob the victim and a fight ensued. The deceased victim (believed to be an unknown Good Samaritan) attempted to prevent the robbery and approached the suspects with a baseball bat. One suspect produced a handgun and shot the Good Samaritan victim in the torso. The other victim attempted to run away, and the same suspect shot him in the right thigh.

All four suspects fled eastbound through an alley, and northbound on Soledad Canyon Road, where they were subsequently taken into custody by Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station deputies.

The Good Samaritan victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The robbery victim was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries and will be released shortly.

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A suspect is taken into custody at the Canyon Oaks condos following a shooting in a Canyon Country parking lot. Photo by Elliott Cohen for SCVNews.com

[Original Story] –

One victim is dead and three juveniles are in custody following a fatal shooting in Canyon Country.

The shooting occurred at about 3 p.m. at the back side of the Canyon Country Post Office shopping center parking lot.

Three suspected gang members ranging in age from 13 to 16 were arrested in connection with the shooting.

Two victims sustained gunshot wounds and both were transported to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital where one was pronounced dead.

Deputy surveys the crime scene behind the shopping center parking lot. Photo by Elliott Cohen for SCVNews.com

Deputy Lillian Peck of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said the identities of the victims were not yet known but at least one was an adult and both were Hispanic males. One male Hispanic who witnessed the shooting was detained at the scene for questioning.

All three suspects were black males. They fled across Soledad Canyon Road and town Solamint Road into the gated Canyon Oaks condominium complex where a manhunt ensued.

One suspect who was clearly a young teenager was quickly taken into custody. At 4:30 p.m. it was determined that deputies also had the other two suspects in custody. One wore a hat with a gang insignia. It was bagged for evidence.

The shopping center was locked down after the shooting. Curious patrons who milled about the parking lot were asked to leave.