Police taped off the rear lot near the 10 Freeway as investigators searched for answers.
BALDWIN PARK, Calif. — Two people were taken to hospitals late Sunday, Feb. 15, after a shooting behind a Target store in Baldwin Park near the 10 Freeway, authorities said. Police did not immediately release information about a suspect or what led to the gunfire.
The shooting drew firefighters and officers to a busy retail area in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, where shoppers and workers were nearby and traffic moves in and out from freeway ramps. Investigators worked into the night to document the scene and track down leads, while the victims’ conditions were still not publicly known.
Los Angeles County Fire Department crews were called to the 3100 block of Baldwin Park Boulevard at about 8:20 p.m., after receiving reports of a shooting behind the store, according to information released overnight. When firefighters arrived, they found two people who needed hospital care and transported them, officials said. By late Sunday night, authorities had not said whether the victims were shot in the parking lot, in a loading area, or closer to nearby streets that connect to the freeway corridor.
Police closed off the back of the Target with yellow tape as the investigation began. Aerial footage from a local news helicopter showed two vehicles — a white van and a black pickup truck — left with doors open while investigators marked evidence on the asphalt. The rear area of the store appeared blocked to traffic as officers surveyed the lot and photographed the ground around multiple markers placed in a wide swath of pavement.
Authorities did not release the victims’ names, ages, or whether the injuries were life-threatening. They also did not say how many shots were fired, what kind of weapon may have been used, or whether there were witnesses who saw a shooter leave. Police said they had not disclosed information about a suspect or a motive as of late Sunday, and it was not clear whether the shooting was connected to any earlier calls for service in the area.
In a separate shooting outside the same Target in March 2025, investigators reviewed surveillance video and witness statements after a man in his 20s was struck in the parking lot and taken to a hospital, according to police and fire officials at the time. In that earlier case, Baldwin Park officers said in a public release that “Preliminary findings indicate that this was potentially a gang-related crime,” and police searched for multiple suspects. Authorities on Sunday night did not suggest any such motive in the 2026 shooting, and they have not said whether the cases are related.
The location sits near a cluster of big-box stores and fast-food businesses where weekend foot traffic can remain steady after dark. Residents who live in nearby neighborhoods often use Baldwin Park Boulevard as a main route to and from Interstate 10, and the retail lots typically fill with cars during evening hours. Investigators commonly canvass for store cameras in such areas, but police on Sunday did not say what video, if any, had been obtained from the shopping center or surrounding streets.
By early Monday, the case remained in its preliminary stage, with detectives expected to interview the victims if they were able, speak with employees and anyone who may have been in the rear lot, and track any vehicles captured on cameras. Police had not announced an arrest connected to the Sunday night shooting, and no timetable was provided for releasing additional details about the victims’ conditions or the circumstances that led to the gunfire.
The scene itself offered a limited snapshot of what may have unfolded: two vehicles left in place, doors still ajar, and clusters of numbered markers indicating items collected from the ground. The back of the store stayed quiet under police tape while investigators worked, with patrol cars angled to block access. No officials held a public briefing at the scene late Sunday, and authorities did not say whether they were looking for one suspect or more than one.
As of Monday morning, police had not identified a suspect or motive, and the victims’ conditions had not been released. Authorities have said the investigation was continuing, with the next expected milestone being an update from police once interviews and evidence review progress.
Author note: Last updated February 16, 2026.