A man who allegedly fired into a group of people gathered in the Westlake area near MacArthur Park, wounding five of them, was charged Monday with five counts of attempted murder.
The charges against Jose Daniel Amaya, 27, include allegations that he used a handgun during the crime and caused great bodily injury to the victims. He is also alleged to have two prior felony convictions under the state’s Three Strikes law, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The shooting occurred just after 1 a.m. Jan. 22 in the 600 block of South Alvarado Street, between Sixth and Seventh streets. Authorities said four men and a woman were injured in the shooting — two of the victims were injured critically.
An alleged motive for the killing was unknown.
Amaya was arrested later that day.
The shooting prompted Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell to announce that he and Mayor Karen Bass “are surging resources to this area to enforce a Zero Tolerance policy on crime — if you break the law you will be arrested.”
“Please know that my top priority is keeping you safe, and I will continue to hold anyone who threatens your sense of security accountable,” McDonnell said in a statement.
Amaya could face life in prison if convicted as charged, prosecutors said.
“Gun violence continues to be a devastating scourge in Los Angeles, and today my office has taken decisive action by filing five gun sentencing enhancements, one for each victim,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement. “These enhancements carry an additional penalty of 25 years to life in prison. This is a clear and unequivocal message: gun violence will not be tolerated in Los Angeles County.”
Amaya was being held without bail, according to jail records.
Authorities said Amaya was also struck by gunfire and was hospitalized in critical condition when he was taken into custody. Police said at the time they were seeking at least two other suspects.