Girl, 8, shot and killed in South Los Angeles

The attack occurred at 8:45 p.m. at 76th and San Pedro streets as the girl sat with a crowd of people. Witnesses told police that two teenage males approached the crowd and began firing.

LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith said one of the men, armed with a rifle, "fired one shot toward the group of people and hit the child in the chest."

The girl, who has not yet been identified, was rushed to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead, police said.

One witness told KNBC-TV Channel 4 that she heard the gunfire and then saw the girl being held by her mother. Capt. Dennis Kato said it appeared that the gunmen were firing at a group of male youths nearby.

The gunmen reportedly ran off and escaped through a nearby alley. The corner, which is near the LAPD's 77th Street Division station, was soon flooded by scores of police officers, who cordoned off the area and began searching for the attackers and interviewing witnesses.

monte.morin@latimes.com

richard.winton@latimes.com