By Jorge Luis Macías
Jun 24, 2024, 11:42 PM EDT
Luis Hernández, a 41-year-old Honduran father of three, received the news from doctors that he will never be able to walk again.
The immigrant was paralyzed from the waist down, after receiving a bullet in the abdomen area and having his spinal cord affected, on April 6 of this year.
Because the case has not been solved, with the support of Councilwoman Eunisses Hernández, the police of the LAPD Rampart Station announced a reward of $25,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
Police released images of two persons of interest: a man and a woman who were at the scene of the tragedy and who fled in a silver Toyota Camry car.
The man of interest was described as Hispanic, about 40 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing about 180 pounds. The woman was described as Hispanic, about 30 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Hernández, originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and who arrived in the United States in 2007, has already been discharged from the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, in the city of Downey.
Now he moves around in a wheelchair and apparently, if a ‘miracle’ doesn’t happen, he will have to remain unable to walk for the rest of his life, according to the doctors.
The victim declined to grant an interview to La Opinión, based on the safety of his family, after learning that the police released the images of two persons of interest who were present at the scene of the shooting.
wounded in the back
On April 6 at approximately 8:45 p.m., in the 700 block of Alvarado Street, Hernández, a seller of Christian literature, backpacks, key chains and other items, observed that a car stopped next to his vehicle and An argument arose between two women.
“The suspect’s vehicle – a silver Toyota Camry – was double parked next to the victim’s vehicle, who wanted to keep his family safe.[tres] children or move their vehicle,” said Rampart Officer Christian Marroquín, leader of the investigation. “But when I lowered the rear window on the passenger side, at that moment [Hernández] “He sees a gun pointed at him.”
The father immediately “feared for his life and the safety of his children,” Marroquín added. He “believed they were going to get caught in the crossfire, so he walked back toward the sidewalk, and when he turned his back they shot him in the lower back, at a distance of 10 to 15 feet.”
Immediately, the vehicle from which the bullet came fled from the scene heading north on Alvarado Street and then heading east on Seventh Street.
Police urged anyone with information about Luis Hernandez’s case to call Officer C. Marroquín at 213-484-3670 or 877-LAPD-247. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS, or use the website www.lacrimestoppers.org.
another murder
In addition to the recent attack against the Honduran man, police are investigating the shooting murder of Juan García, a 38-year-old Latino man who was gunned down on Friday in the Baldwin Hills area, near La Ciénega Station and Jefferson Boulevard (Metro E /Gold Line).
Police are searching for four Hispanic suspects who fled the scene on skateboards.
Initial investigations indicate that Garcia was involved in some argument with the suspects on the street around 7:22 p.m., according to Captain Jamie Bennet of the LAPD.
The argument continued on the train platform, where one of the suspects pulled out a gun and shot the man in the head, LAPD Officer Drake Madison said.
The victim was going to board Metro Line E when he was hit by the murderer. The paramedics who arrived at the scene could do nothing to save García’s life.
The murder suspects are described as Hispanic males between 15 and 20 years old. They fled the crime scene on skateboards before the police arrived.
As of Sunday, there were no reports on the probable identity of the attackers, LAPD officer Drake Madison told La Opinión.