5 Freeway in Commerce reopens after unconfirmed shooting report

Southbound lanes of the 5 Freeway near Commerce were closed for about an hour Friday morning after the California Highway Patrol received an unconfirmed report of gunfire near Atlantic Avenue, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

The closure backed up traffic along a key Southern California corridor linking Orange County to downtown Los Angeles, with delays persisting as lanes gradually returned to normal.

The CHP received the gunfire report shortly after 10 a.m. near Atlantic Avenue in Commerce, triggering a SigAlert that temporarily halted southbound traffic, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Officers deployed at least seven Highway Patrol vehicles to search the freeway for physical evidence of a shooting.

Lanes began reopening shortly after 11 a.m. as the search concluded, and the SigAlert was subsequently canceled, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. Whether any people or vehicles had been struck by gunfire remained unknown as of the lane reopening.

Southbound traffic stayed backed up for a time as conditions gradually normalized, according to the report. The CHP did not confirm whether a shooting had actually occurred, and no arrests were reported in connection with the incident.

The 5 Freeway serves as a major artery connecting Orange County communities — from Anaheim to San Juan Capistrano — to central Los Angeles, making disruptions near Commerce a recurring concern for OC-bound commuters during peak and midday hours.

No arrests have been reported and CHP had not confirmed whether a shooting actually occurred as of the time lanes reopened, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.