Jul 6, 2008 10:52 am US/Pacific
2 Dead In East L.A., Azusa Shootings
Two unrelated murders were reported early Sunday in Azusa and East Los Angeles, according to authorities.
In the East Los Angeles murder, a man was shot to death just after 12:45 on South Gerhart Ave., near Beverly Boulevard.
According to Deputy Byron Ward of the Sheriff's Headquarter's Bureau, the unidentified victim was declared dead at the scene.
Detectives say that two men got into an argument at a party. The fight escalated when one man pulled out a gun and shot another man in the head.
The gunman reportedly fled on foot north on Gerhart Avenue.
About an hour after the Los Angeles shooting, a 23-year-old man was shot to death in Azusa.
That shooting occured in the 100 block of Newburgh Street, near Azusa Avenue, according to Deputy Rick Pedroza of the Sheriff's Headquarter's Bureau.
Earlier reports said the victim was 13, but those turned out to be erroneous. He was, however, believed to be a member of the "Azusa 13" street gang.
The man's name was not released. He was a resident of Azusa.
He was found murdered behind an alley.
Police said he had been shot several times in the upper torso.
Anyone with information about the murder was asked to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
The victim's name was withheld pending notification of his next of kin.
Azusa police are being helped in the murder investigation by Sheriff's homicide detectives.
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