Mar 22, 2008 11:51 pm US/Pacific
Shaw Shooting Suspect May Be Illegal Immigrant
LOS ANGELES
-
-
Jamiel Shaw was gunned down by gang members just yards from his home.
CBS
Immigration officials say the suspected Los Angeles street gang member charged in the shooting death of a high school football star may have been in the country illegally.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said Saturday her agency has filed an immigration hold against 19-year-old Pedro Espinoza.
The hold means Espinoza will be transferred into her agency's custody for possible deportation when he leaves local custody.
Espinoza was released from jail in an assault case the day before the March 2 killing of 17-year-old Jamiel Shaw Junior.
Kice did not know if there was a hold on him during his previous sentence, but said inmates on hold are generally released directly into her agency's custody.
Shaw was shot to death in the 2100 block of Fifth Avenue. A car had pulled up and Espinoza, a member of the 18th Street Gang, allegedly got out and asked "Where you from" -- meaning what gang -- and opened fire.
Shaw's father ran outside and found his son dying next to a tree that the two had planted with the mayor almost three years ago as part of the city's Million Trees Initiative.
"Yes, it just so happened we were standing close by, so he helped the mayor plant the tree," Shaw's father said. "And it was special because, you know, we took pictures with the mayor. Look at this spot (now) and it's like man, this is just so sad. It's like, wow. This is so devastating."
A "tree of life" plaque was unveiled by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Saturday to honor Jamiel.
"Senseless violence cut short Jamiel's life before he could fulfill his promise. But with this memorial, we ensure that Jamiel's name and spirit will stay with us forever," he said.
Jamiel was a running back and named his team's and the Southern League's Most Valuable Player in 2007. Stanford and Rutgers had shown interested in recruiting Jamiel.
Jamiel's mother, Army Sgt. Anita Shaw, was serving in Iraq when her son was slain, and his family hopes she won't be sent back. Los Angeles City Councilman Herb Wesson Jr. urged residents to send letters, asking for Sgt. Shaw's release from duty or her installation somewhere other than Iraq.
"And lets ask that they reassign her somewhere close to Los Angeles so that she can raise and protect young Thomas (her surviving son)," Wesson said.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
