Man shot in buttocks in West Hollywood described as homeless

Three men who were shot at as they sat on a West Hollywood park bench were identified Monday as transients, according to a statement from the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

A deputy seated in a patrol car near Plummer Park heard gunshots, then saw the three men running toward his vehicle "within seconds," the statement said.

One man who was shot in the buttocks was taken to a hospital for surgery, and he was listed in stable condition early Monday, said Sgt. Richard Bowman of the Sheriff's Department. 

The shooter fled the scene before deputies could take him into custody. 

Deputies said in a statement that they had collected several shell casings from the crime scene as evidence.

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-- Frank Shyong
twitter.com/frankshyong

Photo: Approximate location of the incident is shown in black. Credit: Los Angeles Times Mapping L.A.