Inglewood, CA – On May 2, 2025, at approximately 4:00 p.m. PDT, a shooting at Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Inglewood left three people injured, prompting a swift response from the Inglewood Police Department (IPD) and a lockdown of the campus. The incident, reported near the 8900 block of Aviation Boulevard, sparked fears of an active shooter, with Pacific Division officers assisting IPD in traffic control. The suspect remains at large, and the motive is under investigation, adding to concerns about public safety in a city already grappling with violent crime, as seen in prior incidents like the 2023 Manchester Boulevard shooting you referenced.
The IPD received reports of gunfire at Spartan College, a vocational school training aviation professionals, around 4:00 p.m. on May 2, 2025. Officers arrived to find three victims with gunshot wounds, though their conditions have not been disclosed. ABC7 reported the incident as a possible active shooter situation, prompting a heavy police presence and campus lockdown. Pacific Division units, while not leading the investigation, supported IPD by managing traffic around the busy Aviation Boulevard area, near LAX and the Intuit Dome, a 2025 Time “World’s Greatest Places” honoree.
Preliminary reports suggest the shooting was targeted, though no suspect description or motive has been released. The suspect fled before police arrived, and no arrests have been made. IPD is canvassing for surveillance footage, including from nearby businesses, and has urged anyone with information to contact their Homicide Section at (310) 412-5246 or the anonymous tip line at (888) 412-7463. The campus, which remained locked down into the evening, was cleared by police, but classes were suspended as the investigation continued.
The shooting rattled Inglewood, a city of 107,000 undergoing revitalization around SoFi Stadium and the Crenshaw light-rail line, as noted in a 2022 Los Angeles Times report. Students and staff at Spartan College, located in an industrial area, expressed shock on X, with posts like @ScannerPacific noting IPD’s lead role and the active shooter alert. Nearby residents, already wary after incidents like the February 2025 catalytic converter shooting that killed Juan Sanchez, voiced frustration over recurring violence. One X user remarked, “Another shooting in Inglewood? This is getting out of hand,” reflecting community unease.
Inglewood has faced a string of violent incidents, including a 2023 mass shooting at Manchester Boulevard that killed two and injured three, believed to be gang-related, and a 2022 house party ambush that left four dead. The February 2025 shooting of Juan Sanchez, killed while confronting catalytic converter thieves, drew national attention, with two suspects arrested in March. These events, coupled with a recent hate crime assault on a Latino gardener, have strained community trust in public safety measures.
The Spartan College shooting, while less deadly, underscores Inglewood’s struggle with gun violence, particularly in commercial and industrial zones. The city’s police department, with 186 sworn officers, has bolstered community programs like National Night Out, but critics on X argue that IPD’s limited public communication, as noted in a 2024 2UrbanGirls report, leaves residents uninformed. The incident’s proximity to LAX and high-profile venues like SoFi Stadium, referenced in your Hollywood news query for its entertainment draw, amplifies its visibility and pressure on IPD to act swiftly.
