Suspect arrested in shooting of 8 in L.A.

updated 5:21 p.m. ET Feb. 28, 2008

LOS ANGELES - A gunman who wounded five children and three adults at a South Los Angeles bus stop was aiming at a specific person and wound up shooting bystanders, police said Thursday.

“There was a target,” Capt. Rigo Romero said.

A suspect was arrested, and Police Chief William Bratton and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa planned to announce more details during a news conference Thursday evening.

Police had said they were confident the gunman would be quickly caught because there were many witnesses. Romero said more than 100 people were at the intersection.

Armed with a semiautomatic handgun, the man opened fire around 3:15 p.m. Wednesday at a busy intersection filled with shoppers, motorists and students.

Bratton said the gunman got into a dispute with someone and fired 15 to 16 rounds at him but missed and instead hit the victims.

Two of the victims ran away and were found outside a nearby middle school, police Officer Sara Faden said.

The gunman ran away after firing the shots, she said.

Police and fire officials initially reported that the child victims were four girls and a boy. On Thursday police changed that to three boys and two girls. Some victims’ ages were also adjusted.

A 12-year-old girl who was shot in the chest remained hospitalized Thursday but “she’s going to be fine,” Officer Karen Smith said.

Smith said six other people were treated at hospitals and released: a 12-year-old girl who was shot in the arm; two 12-year-old boys were treated for leg wounds; a 15-year-old boy who was grazed in the thigh; a 43-year-old man was treated for a wounded knee; and a woman, 48, was shot in the face.

A 68-year-old man was treated at the scene for a wound to his right arm, she said.

All were expected to recover.

More from msnbc.com First Read: Palin on creationism, Clinton, Fey Ice addict heads for poles, Everest | Trek posts Daily Nightly: Tim McGraw helps neighbors in need Were you paying attention? Take our weekly quiz World Blog: China puts foot down on 'Oba Mao' T-shirts Stimulus tracker: See where millions of dollars went On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM CRIME & COURTS

Crime & courts Section Front

Mom of missing 5-year-old girl charged Funerals held for some Fort Hood victims Madoff's Mets jacket sells for $14,500 Obama: Congress should wait on Fort Hood Former congressman sentenced to 13 years ‘Balloon boy’ parents plead guilty Evangelist gets 175 years for child sex Lawmaker: Hasan linked to Pakistan Suspected serial killer had previous arrest Dugard suspect apologizes for ‘sexual problem’ Crime & courts Section Front   Add Crime & courts headlines to your news reader: