3 Men Shot to Death in East Valley

Three people were shot to death in the east San Fernando Valley on Saturday night and early Sunday morning in unrelated incidents, police said.

One man was shot during what appeared to be an argument over a traffic accident in Mission Hills, and two others were slain in Pacoima.

“Three in one night is pretty stiff,” said Officer Ellis Miller of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Division. “That is an awful lot of homicides.”

A law enforcement official involved in the investigation said that at least some of the violence may be a sign of rising gang activity.

“There’s speculation as to which gangs at this point,” said the official, who asked not to be identified. “They’re all starting to get a little active right now.”

No arrests have been made in connection with the incidents, police said.

Oscar Palos, 17, of Arleta died of gunshot wounds to the upper body after what may have been a dispute over a traffic accident. Police arrived at the Mission Hills scene about 11:30 p.m. Saturday to find seven accident victims and Palos killed.

Jesus Salazar, 24, of Pacoima died of a gunshot wound about 1:30 a.m. after an argument in the 13900 block of Louvre Street, police said.

The body of a 20-year-old Pacoima man who was shot in the head was found in a car on the 12400 block of Fox Street about 9:40 p.m. Saturday, Miller said. Police were withholding his name pending notification of relatives.