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Crime Dec 23, 2023
Gor Adamyan, 4, was killed in a road-rage shooting in Lancaster Dec. 15, 2023. | Photo courtesy of Anahit Topchyan/GoFundMe
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Shooting-related incidents — including one that claimed the life of a 4-year-old boy — again mounted this week in Los Angeles County.
Police investigate fatal shooting in Long Beach
A 28-year-old man was fatally shot in Long Beach, police said Friday.
The shooting was reported around 10:20 p.m. in the 200 block of Eagle Street, where two men sustained gunshot wounds, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Police administered life-saving measures to both victims until the arrival of Long Beach Fire Department paramedics, who took one of the victims to a hospital in stable condition.
The other victim, Long Beach resident Ismael Cuevas, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Anyone with information regarding the fatal shooting was urged to contact LBPD homicide detectives Ethan Shear or Chasen Contreras at 562-570- 7244. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
According to Long Beach police, the killing was one of several shootings that occurred overnight in the city.
“Today and through the weekend, our detectives, officers and professional staff will continue to follow all leads and actively investigate each of these shootings,” police said in a statement. “We are adjusting our operations so that we may further engage with our community, pursue new leads and prevent any further crime from occurring.”
Police said it was unclear if the various shootings were related.
Man fatally shot in Long Beach
Authorities sought the public’s help Thursday to solve the killing of a man who was shot in Long Beach.
The shooting occurred about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday in the 1000 block of East Pacific Coast Highway, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
Korey Brown, 36, of Long Beach, died at a hospital, police said.
“Through their preliminary investigation, detectives determined the victim was shot after being approached by the unknown suspect(s),” police said. “The suspect(s) fled on foot before police arrived. The motive for the shooting and circumstances of the incident are still under investigation.”
Anyone with information about the shooting was urged to call Detectives Oscar Valenzuela or Leticia Gamboa at 562-570-7244. Tipsters may also call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS, or use the website lacrimestoppers.org.
Man charged with murder in alleged road-rage killing of 4-year-old boy
A 29-year-old man suspected in the alleged road-rage shooting death of a 4-year-old boy in Lancaster is scheduled to be arraigned next month on murder and other charges.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Byron Burkhart was charged Tuesday with murder, two counts of attempted murder, one count of shooting at an occupied vehicle and five counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. The charges include an allegation that he personally used a handgun in commission of the crime.
He was scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 22 at the Antelope Valley Courthouse. According to county jail records, he was being held in lieu of $2 million bail, although prosecutors were asking that his bail be increased to more than $5 million.
He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
A second suspect who was arrested in connection with the shooting, 27- year-old Alexandria Gentile, was not charged. Jail records show she was released from custody Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors identified her as Burkhart’s girlfriend.
Burkhart is charged in connection with the shooting that occurred about 7:30 p.m. Friday in the area of Sierra Highway and East Avenue J, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators said a driver cut off a vehicle that contained the boy, identified as Gor Adamyan, along with his father and his mother. The driver of the suspect vehicle then began following the family on local streets, eventually pulling alongside the passenger side of the victims’ vehicle and opening fire, officials said. Prosecutors said eight shots were fired.
The boy was sitting in the back seat and was struck by gunfire in the upper body. The parents rushed him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, a camera in the victims’ vehicle captured images of the suspect vehicle’s license plate. Sheriff’s officials said investigators located the suspects’ vehicle in the immediate area of the shooting and arrested the man and woman on suspicion of murder.
Anyone with information about the case was asked to call homicide detectives at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
A GoFundMe page established on behalf of the boy’s family had raised more than $1,600 as of Monday.
According to the page, the family was heading to a store to purchase groceries when the shooting unfolded.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Lancaster area, condemned the boy’s killing.
“This young boy’s death is shocking,” she said in a statement Monday. “A family is now inexplicably left without a child that meant everything to them. Our roadways are no place for this type of random and unacceptable violence. I want the suspects apprehended for this heinous murder to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
“I also want to thank the law enforcement professionals who acted quickly, arrested the suspects, and took them off the community’s streets. We cannot tolerate acts of violence like this one.”
The District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday denied reports that Burkhart had been recently booked on suspicion of a weapons violation but released under the county’s zero-bail policy.
“This report is false,” according to the office.
Two men wounded in shooting on 10 Freeway
Two men were wounded Tuesday in a vehicle-to-vehicle shooting on the eastbound San Bernardino (10) Freeway east of downtown Los Angeles.
Officers were sent to the eastbound freeway near Soto Street at about 5:30 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
The two wounded men were taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to the CHP and reports from the scene. No description was available of a suspect or vehicle.
All eastbound lanes of the freeway were closed while an investigation was conducted, backing up traffic for miles during the morning commute. The lanes were reopened at about 8:30 a.m.
The motive for the attack was not known.
One killed, one wounded in Hawthorne shooting
A man was shot and killed, another man was wounded and authorities Tuesday were continuing their investigation of the shooting in Hawthorne.
Hawthorne Police Department officers were called at 8:04 p.m. Monday to the 13400 block of Kornblum Avenue, between 126th Street and El Segundo Boulevard regarding a shots fired call, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide Lt. Arturo Spencer. Upon their arrival, they found both men with gunshot wounds.
Earl Smith, 59, of Hawthorne died at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. The second victim was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
Sheriff’s department homicide investigators are assisting the Hawthorne Police Department with the shooting investigation.
Anyone with information about this shooting was asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous calls can be made to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or sent to lacrimestoppers.org.
Man killed in Compton shooting ID’d
The Medical Examiner Department on Sunday released the name of a man who died from a Compton shooting.
Blaine LaPrairie was 46 years old and died at a hospital, the Medical Examiner said.
Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department’s Compton Station were called at 11:04 p.m. Tuesday to the 600 block of West Corrigidor Street between South Center Avenue and Alondra Boulevard regarding a shots fired call. Upon their arrival at the location, they found the victim now identified as LaPrairie with a gunshot wound to the upper torso, said homicide Lt. Patricia Thomas.
Compton Fire Department paramedics were called and took the victim to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anyone with information about this shooting was asked to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous calls can be made to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or sent to lacrimestoppers.org.
Woman, 19, Killed, Man, 20, wounded In Sun Valley drive-by
A 19-year-old woman was killed and a 20-year-old man was hospitalized following a drive-by shooting Sunday in Sun Valley.
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Station responded at approximately 1:20 a.m. Sunday to 11110 Lorne St., south of the Sun Valley Recreation Center between Fair and Vineland avenues, where they learned the victims were approached by a group of young men in a dark, four- door sedan, an LAPD spokesman told City News Service.
The shooters opened fire several times at the victims, striking both of them, he said.
Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and took both victims to a hospital, where the woman was pronounced dead, police said. The woman’s name was withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The male victim was hospitalized, underwent surgery, and was expected to survive his injuries.
The suspects drove away from the scene in an unknown direction.
Anyone with any information about the shooting was urged to call LAPD Valley Bureau Homicide at 818-374-9550 or, during nonbusiness hours or weekends, at 877-527-3247. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at 800- 222-8477, or tips can be sent to lacrimestoppers.org.
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