Five years after the death of Danah Rojo-Rivas, a minor 16 years old, victim of a shooting during a chase that broke out in the city of Lynwood in Los Angeles County, Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s office offered a reward of $20,000.
“We had just left the Church and my daughter was in the back seat of the car singing, happy; and Luna (her dog) was playing with her when I heard some noises like rockets,” said Sandra Rivas, Danah’s mother.
“I thought my daughter was singing, but her cry was different. It was the last I heard from her. After that she was silent. It was a night before Thanksgiving. We were all preparing dinner. Her seat at the table had her name on it”.
She said she is telling all this because whoever killed her not only tore her life to shreds and that of his brother but also that of his family, including his own parents.
Wednesday 23 of November 2016, Danah was in the back seat of her mother’s car, who was driving the car; and next to her, in the front seat, was her brother Ethan.
They had just left the church and were on their way home, when they stopped at the red traffic light, and some men appeared chasing three people who were in a sedan.
Immediately a subject got out of the car and escaped to the south of Euclid and Long Beach avenues in the city of Lynwood. One of the men behind him shot him several times, without hitting the target, but his bullets hit the vehicle where Danah was, who was fatally wounded during the shooting.
In the middle of the chaos, Luna, her dog got out of the car, and was hit and killed by another vehicle.
“Danah would have complied 22 years, this year. She was a good student, a good daughter, a beautiful friend. Everyone loved her.”
Danah’s mother urged those who saw or know anything about the incident that took the life of Danah’s daughter her, to help capture those responsible.
“For sure, they have already killed more people, and although I believe in forgiveness, there has to be justice first for Danah, who was a teenager from 16 years.”
Lt. Mike Gomez of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said detectives believe there are witnesses in the area who may have seen the suspects or know their identities.
“Investigators have worked on this case since the first day it occurred and have received information that the suspicious vehicle was seen in the area before and after the murder; and they believe that the shooting was the result of a dispute between gangs, and that Danah was an innocent victim of a senseless act of violence.”
Revealed that they also received information anonymously from a person who witnessed the shooting. “We ask that you contact homicide investigators; and we also believe there were other shootings before and after Danah’s murder.”
He urged anyone with information to contact the LASD homicide bureau or the Homicide Bureau phone number. from Crime Stoppers, to 323-890-5500.
The reward of $21,04 was authorized by Supervisor Janice Hahn.
Increase in violence
The news of the reward to find the responsible for taking the life of the minor Danah, occurs while violence increases in the city and county of Los Angeles.
The chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Michel Moore, said in a press conference that statistics show that April was the deadliest month in Los Angeles in the last 4 years with 36 reported homicides, against 11 from last year; Y 24 of 2020.
Moore said that the driving factor behind the increase in violence is “a spasm of violence” within the area of the 77 Division where they occurred homicides in April. Area includes Athens Park, Chesterfield Square, Gramercy Park, Hyde Park, South Park- 51st and Menlo, Vermont Knolls, Vermont Park, View Heights, Morningside Park and West Park Terrace.
So far this year, until April they added 94 homicides in the city of Los Angeles against 116 from last year.
Shooting violence increased 33% in April compared to the same month of 2022 with 49 victims.
In particular, gun violence has increased in the Hollenbeck and Newton areas. Hollenbeck encompasses the neighborhoods of Aliso Village, Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Estrada Court, Hermon, Hillside Village, Lincoln Heights, Montecito Heights, Monterey Hills, Pico Gardens, Ramona Gardens, Rose Hills Courts, University Hills.
Newton encompasses the Fashion District, Pueblo Del Rio and South Park-Entertainment.
Moore said that along with gang violence, the increase in shootings has been driven by robberies.