Anthony Holston III, 20

Anthony Holston III, a 20-year-old black man, was shot and killed Friday, June 5, near the intersection of East 17th Street and Alamitos Avenue in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. 

The incident began when Long Beach police responded to a call about a shooting around 10 p.m. outside a liquor store.

Before the shooting, Holston got involved in a verbal and physical fight inside the store with an unknown number of other men, according to the coroner's office. The fight escalated outside, and Holston and the other subjects began shooting at each other. 

The victim was hit in the upper body by gunfire. He ran away from the scene and then returned and collapsed, according to coroner's records. Holston was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m. 

Long Beach police Public Information Officer Nancy Pratt said investigators were unwilling to comment on what Holston was doing in the store or whether he knew his assailants because it might jeopardize their investigation. 

The shooting is being investigated as possibly gang-related, Pratt said, but investigators do not believe it is connected to another possibly gang-related shooting that occurred about two hours later that night in the 5400 block of Elm Avenue in Long Beach. That shooting killed Ruben Martinez Barrera, an 18-year-old white man from Long Beach. 

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Long Beach police homicide Dets. Hugo Cortes and Oscar Valenzuela at (562) 570-7244. Those who wish to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477). 

— Jeanette Marantos