Police respond to a shooting incident in Long Beach, California on Friday. Photo courtesy of Fox News.
Summary: A law partner shot two of his colleagues on Friday.
On Friday, a gunman entered an office building in Long Beach and fired on two attorneys before killing himself. According to ABC News, police said on Saturday that the shooter was attorney John Mendoza, 58, and he had shot his law firm partners. So far, they do not have a motive.
Mendoza killed one partner, Major Langer, 75, and the other, Ronald Beck, 68, is being treated in the hospital.
A friend spoke to the Long Beach Press-Telegram and shared that Beck was taken the the hospital by his son. He was shot in the torso and lower body, and police said that he is expected to live.
“Several employees were in the office at the time of the shooting, however, no other injuries were reported,” police said. “A motive for the shooting remains under investigation.”
Basielus Zeno was a witness who said that employees were enjoying a holiday party in the building when the shooter opened fire.
Another witness told CBS News that people cried as they exited the building.
“There was a couple at a time that came out. It wasn’t a mad rush of people, but they came out crying,” witness Elise McKenna said. “”It’s scary. You never know what people are going to do, what’s going to make them crack.”
Attorney Beck was the managing partner of Perona and Langer, and he also was the head of operations at Perona, Langer, Beck, Serbin, Mendoza and Harrison. Langer was a senior managing partner at both firms, according to ABC News.
Mendoza was a partner at Perona, Langer, Beck, Serbin, Mendoza and Harrison, and he was a workers’ compensation attorney for over twenty years.
A friend told the Press-Telegram that it was a tragedy to lose Langer.
“This guy was the most caring, sincere man I probably ever met,” Jim Hall said. “He just had a heart of gold and really cared for everybody who works at the firm and considers them members of his family. He certainly didn’t deserve this.”
Langer was well-known in the area for his high-profile cases. According to the Press-Telegram, Langer “practiced law for 51 years and tried 75 civil and criminal cases to verdict, the firm’s website said. He handled Weber vs. the city of Rolling Hills, a 14-month trial that is believed to be the longest trial in the history of California, represented actress Pamela Anderson in a breach of contract lawsuit and won numerous six- to seven-figure verdicts.”
The SWAT team responded on Friday to an emergency call, and police Sgt. Brad Johnson called the incident “workplace violence.”
NBC News stated that anyone with information should call Long Beach Police Department homicide detectives Donald Goodman and Mark Mattia at (562) 570-7244. People can also submit anonymous tips at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).