Women shot in 'case of mistaken identity'

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TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Two women shot and wounded in a case of mistaken identity during a Los Angeles manhunt were victims of what looked like "street justice," their lawyer said.

Emma Hernandez, 71, and her daughter, Margie Carranza, 47, were delivering newspapers Thursday morning in Torrance, Calif., when police detectives apparently mistook their pickup truck for that of fugitive Christopher Dorner, 33, suspected of killing three people, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

Hernandez was shot twice in the back by police and and Carranza suffered a hand injury, their lawyer, Glen T. Jones, said.

The Times said Hernandez was in intensive care and reported in stable condition late Thursday.

"It looked like the police had the goal of administering street justice and, in so doing, didn't take the time to notice that these two older, small Latina women didn't look like a large black man," Jones said.

Officers pursuing Dorner describe him as black, six feet tall and weighing 270 pounds.

"Tragically, we believe this is a case of mistaken identity," Police Chief Charlie Beck said.

Television images showed newspapers scattered around the bullet-riddled truck, the Times said.