There was no sign of forced entry and no drugs or weapons found at the West Hollywood apartment where three men were found shot to death, L.A. Sheriff's Department officials said.
The shooting occurred Thursday evening in the 600 block of North Kings Road, south of Melrose Avenue, authorities said. Deputies responded to the Kings Road Arms apartment building about 9:15 p.m., shortly after neighbors reported hearing a series of gunshots. Inside the apartment, detectives found three men dead of gunshot wounds, according to investigators.
Speaking to reporters at the crime scene, Sgt. Bill Marsh said the victims, who have not been identified, were found in various parts of one apartment in the modest three-story building.
The victims were in their 20s and 30s but little else is known about them, Lt. Pat Nelson said. It was also unknown if the victims were tenants.
"We believe they are of Middle Eastern descent," Nelson said. "Basically, this is a triple murder. We don't have any suspects at this time."
[Updated at 11 a.m.: Maurice Chriqui, who lives next door, said he had just arrived home from a business trip in Seattle to find his wife upset.
"Thank God you're home," she told him. "I just heard some shots."
Within a few minutes, Chriqui said police had swarmed their quiet neighborhood. Several patrol cars and two ambulances descended on the street as a police helicopter flew overhead.
Chriqui, who has lived in the neighborhood for about 10 years, said he was shocked.
"What a shame to have three people dead," he said.
Another neighbor, who did not want to give her name, said she also arrived home just after the shootings but before the police arrived to find her roommate "freaking out." She said she saw several people coming and going from the area.
"It's just surreal," she said. "I've never seen anything like this."
Several neighbors said the 28-unit apartment building is filled with immigrants from Iran, Israel, Poland and Russia. They said there was a high turnover of tenants at the building, which has a For Rent sign posted outside.]
-- Sam Quinones in West Hollywood and Richard Winton in Los Angeles
Photo: Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies David Cusiter, left, and John Hatfield speak to the media outside the Kings Road Arms Apartments where three men were found shot to death in West Hollywood. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times