Jan 30, 2008 3:31 am US/Pacific
Quiet Monrovia Rocked By Another Gang Murder
MONROVIA, Calif. (CBS) ―
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The second deadly shooting in three days has shaken Monrovia.
CBS
The normally peaceful city of Monrovia has been shocked by the second suspected gang-related murder in three days. A suspected Latino gang member shot to death a 19-year-old black man on a Monrovia street, authorities said Wednesday.
The attack occurred in the 500 block of Almond Avenue near South California Avenue at 7:51 p.m. Tuesday, said Deputy Tony Moore of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau.
The victim was standing in front of the location when a green mid-90s vehicle, possibly manufactured by General Motors, rolled up and the front passenger opened fire, added Deputy Bill Brauberger.
The vehicle then moved off, Brauberger said, adding that "the suspects were described only as two male Hispanics."
The victim was struck in the upper body and taken to a hospital, where he later died, Brauberger said.
"The shooting was gang-related," said Monrovia police Lt. Alan Sanvictores.
Tuesday night's slaying was one of three recent gang-related incidents in the San Gabriel Valley city.
On Saturday night two girls were shot and wounded outside an apartment building by two men who then fled on foot. One victim, Samantha Salas, 16, was taken to Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, where she died, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.
On the evening of Jan 13., Sander Rollins, 64, was also killed in a drive-by shooting as he was getting out of his vehicle in Monrovia, said Deputy Oscar Butao of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said.
"It's very unlike Monrovia. This is difficult for us to understand why it's happening so much now recently," Monrovia police Captain Rick Miglia reported in a reference to Tuesday night's shooting.
The rise of gang violence has residents concerned.
"I'm scared, I'm ready to move, I'm ready to go," Monrovia resident Leslie Williams, who lives across the street from the scene of last night's shooting, said. "I'm leaving, I can't do this."
Monrovia police sought to assure residents that they were working diligently to bring things back to normal.
"Of course we're not used to this kind of violence but we've certainly been putting all of our efforts toward solving it," Miglia said. "People just need to be alert. Report things to us, and cooperate with us and call things in when they see them."
The surge in violence, and speculation about a budding black-Latino gang war in Monrovia and nearby cities, were discussed in a town hall meeting on Jan. 16, according to a joint statement posted on Monrovia's Web site from Monrovia Mayor Rob Hammond, Duarte Mayor Phil Reyes, and David Hall, president of the Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte Town Council.
"The gang violence that erupted in our communities recently is frightening, tragic and worrisome, but not by any stretch of the imagination does it, as some would have us believe, signal a race war," the joint statement said.
Hammond, Reyes and Hall said residents could help the situation by becoming involved in neighborhood watch groups, assisting police in gang-violence investigations, and encouraging children to eschew gang attire.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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