Cori Michael Scales, 20, was shot while driving in Long Beach’s Cambodia Town area on the evening of Friday, August 14, 2026. He was in a vehicle near 12th Street and Lewis Avenue at about 7:28 p.m. when an unknown assailant or assailants opened fire. After being struck by gunfire, his vehicle crashed into a Southern California Edison power pole.

Officers found Scales suffering from a gunshot wound and provided lifesaving measures until Long Beach Fire Department medics transported him to a local hospital. He died of his injuries two days later, on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Detectives say the shooter or shooters fled before police arrived; no suspect description has been released and no arrests have been announced.

Long Beach Police Department homicide detectives are investigating and have asked anyone who witnessed the events leading up to or following the shooting to contact the Homicide Division. Did anyone in the area that night see or hear anything that could help the investigation?