Police said at least one other person was wounded and suspects were still being sought early Saturday.
CULVER CITY, CA — A man was shot to death outside the Westfield Culver City mall Friday night, and police searched nearby streets and parking areas for suspects who fled after gunfire erupted near the shopping center, authorities said.
The shooting drew a heavy law enforcement response to one of the Westside’s busiest retail hubs and forced shoppers and workers to navigate a large police presence as investigators secured the area. Detectives said the victim was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the mall’s north-side parking lot near a Macy’s store and later died at a hospital. A second man was later treated for a gunshot wound that was not considered life-threatening.
Officers were called to the 6000 block of Sepulveda Boulevard shortly before 8 p.m. Friday after reports of gunshots outside the mall, the Culver City Police Department said. Police located an adult man in the parking lot suffering from gunshot wounds and requested paramedics. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dead, police said. “We’re actively searching for the suspects,” a police watch commander said in a late-night briefing near the scene, adding that detectives were interviewing witnesses and reviewing initial reports to determine what led to the shooting.
Authorities said a second adult male connected to the same incident later arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound that was not life-threatening. Police did not immediately say whether the second victim was shot at the mall or elsewhere, and they did not release either man’s name early Saturday while family notifications were pending. Investigators recovered firearms at the scene and began processing evidence in the parking lot, police said. Officers set up a perimeter around the shopping center and searched adjacent blocks and pathways leading away from the mall, but no arrests were announced in the hours after the shooting.
Police said it was not yet clear what started the confrontation or whether the victims and suspects knew each other. Detectives canvassed the area for witnesses and asked nearby businesses to preserve surveillance video that might show movements in and out of the north parking lot. The Westfield Culver City property, sometimes referred to locally as the Fox Hills shopping area, sits near major roadways and draws large crowds on weekend nights, complicating efforts to sort witness accounts. Officers also worked to separate bystanders from those directly involved, and investigators marked evidence locations across several sections of the parking area.
The shooting comes at a time when public attention has been focused on how crime is discussed in Culver City, a small city bordered by Los Angeles. In recent days, comments made during a public exchange involving U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove drew pushback from local officials and residents who said the city is often portrayed inaccurately. Culver City Mayor Freddy Puza responded in an online post citing city figures that he said showed crime declining, including a 9.7% drop in 2024 and a further decrease reported in the third quarter of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier. Police did not link Friday’s shooting to those political comments, and investigators said they were focused on the facts of the case.
Detectives worked into early Saturday to map the sequence of events, including where the shooting began, how many shots were fired, and the route the suspects took when they ran. Video from local television helicopters showed police vehicles positioned outside the Macy’s entrance and additional activity along Sepulveda Boulevard as officers restricted access points. Some shoppers were seen leaving the area while police tape cordoned off sections of the lot. The mall closed at 9 p.m., which is its normal closing time, but many storefronts and restaurants in the surrounding area remained under watch as officers continued their search.
Investigators said the next steps include a full forensic review of recovered weapons and shell casings, interviews with witnesses who were near the north parking lot, and coordination with other agencies that responded to assist. An autopsy is expected to be conducted by the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office, and the victim’s identity is expected to be released after relatives are notified. Police also said they would continue checking hospitals for any additional patients who may have been wounded and did not go to the scene. Authorities urged anyone with video from the parking lot or nearby intersections during the time of the shooting to contact detectives.
Residents who live near the shopping center described hearing a rapid burst of sounds and then seeing patrol cars flood the area. “It was chaotic for a few minutes, and then it was just sirens and lights everywhere,” said a woman who was leaving a nearby store when officers arrived. A mall employee who asked not to be identified said workers were told to stay inside briefly while officers cleared the immediate area. Police said they were still trying to determine whether the suspects fired from close range or at a distance and whether the second wounded man was a bystander or involved in the dispute.
As of early Saturday, police said the suspects had not been located and the motive remained under investigation. Detectives expected to continue interviews and evidence collection through the weekend, with additional updates to be released once investigators confirm the circumstances and notify the victim’s family.
Author note: Last updated February 14, 2026.