Reward Offered in Denny's Killing of South Bay Man

A $10,000 reward was offered Wednesday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever killed one man and wounded three others in a shooting last year in the rear parking lot of a Long Beach Denny’s restaurant.

Charles Edward Bell II of Compton was gunned down about 2:55 a.m. on March 23, 2014, according to the Long Beach Police Department.

Officers responding to a shots fired call in the area of Sixth Street and Long Beach Boulevard found Bell and three other men suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.

“Mr. Bell, who sustained a gunshot wound to the torso, was lying in the parking lot of a restaurant and was determined deceased at the scene,” according to a police statement.

The other three victims were taken to a hospital and survived, police said.

“The preliminary investigation indicated that the suspect attempted to instigate a fight with individuals who were leaving the restaurant and it escalated to a shooting,” according to police. “The suspect fled with multiple people in a dark colored SUV.”

The suspect was described only as an approximately 25-year-old black man.

A surveillance camera captured video of the suspect vehicle fleeing west on Sixth Street, going the wrong way on the one-way street.

Anyone with information about the shooting was urged to call the detectives investigating the killing at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips can be provided by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.

-- City News Service