A man who was shot to death early Wednesday near Universal Studios may have been working as a security guard at an unlicensed casino, according to authorities.
The unidentified man was found dead in the 3300 block of West Cahuenga Boulevard just outside Studio City, Los Angeles Police Officer Rosario Cervantes said. Police received reports of shots fired at 4 a.m., and patrol units from the North Hollywood LAPD station responded to the scene.
No description of a suspect or a motive behind the shooting were available. Homicide investigators are on the scene and a portion of Cahuenga Boulevard remains closed near the intersection with Universal Studios Boulevard.
Police believe the location where the victim was shot, listed as a hookah lounge, was a front for an illegal casino, KTTV Channel 11 reported. The shooting victim may have been a security guard, KTTV reported.
Multiple people were handcuffed and brought out of the storefront by LAPD officers, but it’s unclear if any arrests were made.