3 Dead, 12 Injured in Shooting at Unpermitted West Adams Restaurant

An unpermitted Jamaican restaurant in West Adams was the site of one of the worst recent shootings in Los Angeles history over the weekend. Three people were killed and another twelve wounded following an argument at a birthday party inside the so-called Dilly’s Jamaican Kitchen on Rimpau, just below Adams Boulevard.

At least fifty people were reportedly inside the home when the incident took place, with three men leaving the party to retrieve handguns before returning and opening fire on the crowd. Witnesses for the LA Times describe "a bloody scene" filled with chaos early Saturday morning as guests at the home ran for cover amidst unending gunfire, and others fired their own bullets in retaliation.

The true motivation for the shooting is still unclear, though police say they have detained several persons of interest and are looking into a variety of motives and relationships that could have sparked the shooting.

Dilly, a somewhat well-known figure in the small Jamaican community in the area, tells the Times that he only runs catering gigs out of his house and does not operate a full-fledged restaurant. That contrasts with firsthand accounts from locals in the area who have long known the place as a busy weekend destination for folks to gather, eat, and hang out until the early morning. The night of the shooting, according to one neighbor, there were dozens inside the home and back yard area, and a DJ was playing as well.

Police are still seeking more information on the shooting, asking anyone with information to come forward.