California Media Forced to Admit Sacramento Shooting Was Likely a Shootout Between Criminals, Not 'Mass Shooting'

The Los Angeles Times admitted on Wednesday that Sunday’s Sacramento shooting was likely an exchange of gunfire between gang or street crime rivals rather than a “mass shooting.”

According to the Times, “[The incident] appears to be a result of a fight between rivals that caught bystanders in a crossfire of automatic and semi-automatic weapons fire.”

Although gun control was still mentioned by some local leaders and officeholders, the LA Times pointed out that Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg talked of “early intervention and gang prevention” on Tuesday.

US Magazine reported that pop duo Aly and AJ said their tour bus was caught in the crossfire during the Sacramento shooting. Crossfire is not indicative of a “mass shooting” but it is a characteristic of a shootout.

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the shooting thus far.

The AP reported the first suspect arrested in connection with the Sacramento shooting was 26-year-old Dandrae Martin. He faces “charges of assault with a deadly weapon and being a convict carrying a loaded gun.”

Smiley Martin, the brother of Dandrae Martin, was also arrested. Breitbart News reported that Smiley was released early from prison in February despite District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert opposing the release.

The Sacramento Bee reported that Smiley was charged with “assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.”

A third suspect, 31-year-old Daviyonne Dawson, has also been arrested, according to KLVU. He, too, faces charges “of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.”

California already has more gun laws than any state in the Union, yet the focus has been on more gun control up to now. Labeling the Sacramento incident a shootout instead of a “mass shooting” places focus on things like policing, the atmosphere created by the defund the police movement, and judicial or parole board leniency toward violent criminals.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at [email protected]. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.