COMPTON (CNS) - A man killed in a shooting outside a Compton church Friday afternoon was publicly identified today.
Hakim Webster, 36, was a Compton resident, coroner's Lt. Nani Cholakians said.
Authorities continued to search for the male who opened fire on Webster and two other men in the parking lot of a church in Compton where a funeral was taking place.
The gunfire was reported at 1:10 p.m. in the 1900 block of East Compton Boulevard, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Information Bureau said.
Deputies were first called to the Holy Trinity Baptist Church at 1919 E. Compton Blvd. to investigate reports of an argument at a well-attended funeral that escalated into a fight. They learned while en route that shots had been fired, Lt. Derrick Alfred of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau told CBS2.
Upon arrival, they found three men with gunshot wounds, Alfred said.
The victim now identified as Webster was pronounced dead at the scene and two other victims were found nearby. Both were taken to a hospital and were in stable condition, according to Alfred.
One of the wounded victims ran into the street, possibly causing a vehicle collision near the church, Alfred said.
The shooter, described only as a male, remained at large, he said.
Detectives were securing surveillance video and interviewing witnesses.
“Somebody definitely knows who this was who shot these people,” Alfred said.
Detectives learned that while a funeral was taking place in the church, an argument broke out and those involved stepped out into the parking lot, where the dispute “escalated into a fight involving multiple individuals,” according to a sheriff's department statement.
“An unknown person produced a handgun and fired multiple rounds,” the statement said. “The three victims were struck and the suspect fled on foot.”
A detailed description of the gunman was not available.