“Beautiful” was the only word the father of Javier Pedraza Jr., a teenager who was shot dead in front of the Ellen Ochoa Learning Center school in the city of Cudahy, could express.
The teen’s murder occurred at approximately 12:19 a.m. Monday in the 5000 block of Live Oak Street.
In addition to 14-year-old Javier Pedroza Jr., another teen was injured and transported to a hospital. His state of health is unknown.
“Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide investigators continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal gun assault,” the LASD said in a statement. There have been no arrests.
“I heard five shots; four in front of the school and one more when one of the boys ran,” Claudia Hernández, a local resident who provided videos of the shooting to the authorities, told Real America News.
Hernández stated that one of the alleged murderers got out of a truck and asked Pedraza Jr. and his companion the time. They immediately shot them both.
At the crime scene, family, friends and acquaintances of Pedraza Jr. gathered in the afternoon. Dismayed, they cried, prayed and placed flowers and balloons on an improvised altar.
“I have no words,” said Norberto Pedroza, Javier’s uncle. He and his wife Ana placed some candles next to the flowers and balloons.
Another teenager dies
Javier Pedraza Jr. was not the only fatal victim of gun violence on the streets of Los Angeles.
In the San Fernando Valley town of Panorama City, two teenagers were shot, one of them fatally.
Los Angeles police responded to the crime scene, in the 8300 block of Willis Avenue, around 9:00 p.m. Sunday.
“When officers arrived, they determined that two victims were shot and were transported to a hospital in a private vehicle,” the LAPD said in a statement.
“A 17-year-old male victim succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at a local hospital,” police said. The 16-year-old teenager suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.
No arrests were reported nor are there initial reports on the identity of the possible person responsible for the shooting.
Death at a Home Depot store
A Latino involved in an alleged assault was shot to death by a security guard at a Home Depot store in south Los Angeles.
Carlos Lara, 30, of Los Angeles died Sunday, around 1:15 p.m., when he was struck by gunfire from a security guard’s gun in the parking area of a Home Depot store, located in 1830 Slauson Avenue.
According to the police’s preliminary investigation, the guard allegedly tried to detain Lara in connection with an assault investigation.
The fatal shooting occurred as the now deceased was driving away in his car and police recovered a firearm; the guard was arrested.
“There is no good security in this area,” said Isaías Zaragoza, a construction worker who purchases materials at the store.
At the scene of the murder, a group of Lara’s friends gathered to honor her memory. They listened to northern music and drank beer.
Super Bowl party and rain of bullets
In the Hollywood Hills area, the celebration for the crowning of the Kansas City Chiefs as champions of Professional American Football in the United States (NFL) ended in tragedy.
Two adults: one 26 years old and another 27 years old were shot, one in the back and the other in the buttocks. Both were transported to a hospital.
The identity of the shooter has not been revealed, nor has it been reported if he was arrested.
The shooting occurred early Monday morning, around 12:08, at 1665 N. Crescent Avenue Boulevard, according to Officer D. Orris of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
“Generally, violence increases because people are getting drunk and alcohol impairs people’s judgment,” said Miguel López, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“When there are massive events, what is needed most is education, because people have to understand the consequences of their actions when they are with friends and [en la fiesta] alcoholic beverages or all kinds of drugs are mixed.”
Huntington Park Murder
One more murder was recorded in the city of Huntington Park, where a so far unidentified man was shot dead early Monday morning.
The initial investigation by detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reveals that the crime occurred in the 6300 block of Santa FE Avenue, around 2:40 am
The LASD is collaborating with Huntington Park police to solve the crime. So far there have been no arrests and the identity of the man who died is unknown.
A few miles away, in the neighboring city of Cudahy, around 12:19 a.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to a shooting in the vicinity of the Los Angeles River and the 5000 block of Live Oak Street.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene and homicide detectives are asking the public if they heard or saw anything related to the murder to call (323) 890-5500 or the Crime Stoppers line at (800) 222- 8477
Fatal shooting
As a result of a shooting, in the Florence-Firestone area of South Los Angeles, a man was shot and killed early Monday morning.
The shooting occurred at 12:08 a.m. in the 1500 block of East Florence Avenue, near Compton Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) information office.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting.
Because the investigations had just begun, Lt. Thomas of the LASD could not confirm if the crime was gang related.
In fact, the Florencia 13 gang, which was founded in 1930 and is primarily made up of Mexican Americans, is still active and involved in drug trafficking, murders, assaults and robberies in the area.
A dead in Bell
Around 11:30 Sunday night, a man was killed in a shooting in the 6000 block of Bear Avenue.
According to the Sheriff’s Department Information Bureau, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, where homicide detectives responded. Until now there is no information about the suspects in the homicide or the motives for the crime.
Anyone with information was asked to call Sheriff’s Homicide at (323) 890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.