A manhunt is underway after two LAPD officers were shot and injured Sunday evening, reports the Los Angeles Times.
The plainclothes officers were reportedly shot at by a group of men while driving in an unmarked police car near 65th Street and Broadway in Florence neighborhood. An exchange of gunfire ensued, causing several suspects to scatter, police said.
The two cops sustained minor injuries. Both officers were treated at the scene, said to be in good condition.
Det. Meghan Aguilar told the L.A. Times that the officers "believe they were the target," there being no indication that the officers were caught in some sort of crossfire between rival groups in South L.A.
“There’s going to be several thorough interviews of the officers," said Aguilar.
"But right now they believe they were the target."
Police reportedly apprehended several people at the scene, but the search continues for two additional suspects.
Priscilla Gutierrez, a 17-year-old who lives two blocks from where the incident occurred, told the L.A. Times that she's heard gunshots on multiple occasions since Friday.
"We've been hearing gunshots," she said. "We don't go outside."
While the investigation is still in its preliminary stages, the shooting might be pointing toward a dangerous trend.
Just last Thursday, two police officers were shot in front of the Ferguson, Mo. Police Department during a protest. The late-night demonstration unfolded hours after Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson resigned on Wednesday, Mar. 11. His resignation followed the release of a Department of Justice investigation the week prior, citing "substantial evidence of racial bias among police and court staff in Ferguson."
Whether the two shootings relate remains under investigation.