Donaciano Garcia, a 28-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Monday, Sept. 12, in the 9100 block of Juniper Street in Florence-Firestone, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Investigators found Garcia lying in the street but have little information about what happened, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Jauch.  

They believe Garcia was walking in the industrial-commercial area when a car pulled up about 3:22 p.m. and Garcia was shot, Jauch said.

Garcia was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:29 p.m. with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to coroner’s records. 

Jauch said Garcia lived in the Florence-Firestone area but not in that neighborhood. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 ...

Joshua Quintero, a 23-year-old Latino, was shot and killed by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy on Thursday, Sept. 1, in an alley west of Beach Street, between East 83rd and East 84th streets, in Florence-Firestone, according to  Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Sheriff’s deputies were called about 5:48 p.m. regarding a gunshot victim, said Lt. Mike Rosson. Two deputies arrived within about 30 seconds and found a black man who had been shot in the abdomen, he said.

The gunshot victim was conscious but unwilling to talk to deputies about what happened, Rosson said.

In the meantime, deputies noticed three people walking in the middle of 84th Street. Two deputies asked if they had seen anything, Rosson said. 

“They were also investigating to be sure they weren’t involved in the shooting,” he said, “when one male, who turned out to be ...

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Julio Cesar Padua, a 38-year-old Latino male, died Sunday, Aug. 21, after being shot in Florence-Firestone, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Sebastian Landa, a 21-day-old Latino, died Saturday, July 16, after he was beaten in the 7000 block of Makee Avenue in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South Los Angeles, according to authorities. 

Landa, who was born on June 25, was taken to a hospital with multiple blunt force injuries about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. John Corina. 

His mother, Calixta Landa, 21, told doctors that her baby had fallen, but doctors told investigators that the injuries looked more like physical abuse, Corina said. 

Landa later told investigators that she hit her baby earlier that day and then took him to the hospital, Corina said. 

“She admitted to being frustrated,” he said. “The baby was crying. She got frustrated and then she got physical with the baby, and the baby ended up with blunt force trauma.”

Landa was arrested ...

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Sylvester Darell Barker, a 48-year-old black man, was shot and killed Sunday, July 3, in the 7600 block of Compton Avenue in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Barker was walking home from the store about 7 p.m., heading south on Compton Avenue, when he was approached by two Latino adults, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Mendoza. 

It’s not known if the men exchanged words, Mendoza said, but witnesses said that the three men began to fight and that Barker was stabbed. 

The assailants ran away heading west on 76th Street, Mendoza said. Barker crossed the street, walked a short distance and collapsed not far from his home. 

Barker was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m., according to coroner’s records.  

Anyone ...

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Juan Zataray, a 43-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Saturday, June 11, in the 7600 block of Miramonte Boulevard in Florence-Firestone, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Zataray was working under the hood of a car near his residence about 1:40 a.m. when he was shot, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Jauch said. 

He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 2:10 a.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Investigators don’t have any suspect information, Jauch said.

Jauch said the California Highway Patrol received a call about a gunshot victim in the street. Since 911 calls from a cellphone automatically go to the CHP, it's unknown if the person was driving by or lived in the area.

Investigators are also trying to determine if Zataray’s shooting was linked to two other fatal shootings ...

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Eddie Hernandez, a 22-year-old Latino, died Saturday, June 11, after he was shot in the 1900 block of East 78th Street in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. 

Hernandez was standing in a driveway with several people at a party in the residential area about 9:15 p.m., when two men on a mini bike rode up to the group, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Steve Jauch. 

One of the men pulled out a handgun and opened fire, Jauch said. Hernandez was struck in the head, and another Latino in his 20s in the lower torso, Jauch said. 

Both men were taken to a nearby hospital. Hernandez was pronounced dead at 12:16 a.m. on June 11. The other man was a in serious condition but is expected to survive, Jauch said. 

The ...

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Carlos Alberto Vera, a 22-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Friday, June 10, in the 7500 block of Compton Avenue in Florence-Firestone, according to Los Angeles County coroner records. 

About 3:45 p.m., Vera was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk, heading south on Compton Avenue, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Jauch. 

A person described only as a Latino adult got out of a white car parked next to the curb, drew a handgun and began shooting at Vera as he rode by, Jauch said. The man fired multiple shots, then got back in the car and drove away heading south on Compton and then east on East 76th Street, until he was out of view. 

Vera was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:41 p.m., according to coroner’s records. 

On Saturday, more than 50 ...

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Okpara Wright, a 19-year-old black man, was shot and killed Saturday, April 23, on Mary Avenue and East 87th Place in Florence-Firestone, an unincorporated neighborhood in Los Angeles County, according to county coroner’s records. 

L.A. County sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene about 9:28 p.m. after residents reported gunfire in the area, said Lt. Dave Coleman. Wright was found lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds, Coleman said. 

Wright was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:59 p.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Coleman said investigators have no information about the shooting. “All we have are reports of gunfire,” he said. “No one is giving us any information.” Investigators say the shooting may have been gang-related, Coleman said. 

Early Monday afternoon, the spot where Wright died was filled with candles, posters and ...

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Abraham Santiago, a 27-year-old Latino, died Wednesday, April 20 after he was shot in the 1900 block of East Firestone Boulevard in the Florence-Firestone area of South Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner records. 

Santiago was walking with a friend in front of Graham Library about 1:42 a.m. when a dark-colored sedan drove up and began shooting, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Mendoza. 

“There was a brief exchange of words, a ‘Where you from?’ type conversation,” Mendoza said. “We believe there was one shooter, he opened fire and [Santiago] was struck numerous times in the torso.”

Santiago was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:54 a.m., according to coroner’s records. His friend was not injured Mendoza said. 

Witnesses described the two men in the car as Latinos in their 20s, Mendoza said ...

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Frederick Andreas Castro, a 23-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Saturday, April 2, in the 1300 block of 59th Street, in the Florence-Firestone area of South Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner records. 

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies were called at 5:32 p.m. about a shooting, said Lt. Dave Coleman. 

Castro and a friend had been standing near their cars in their neighborhood, when a white car pulled up beside them, Coleman said. 

Someone inside the car fired two rounds, striking Castro once. The white car sped away, heading west on 59th Street, then turning right onto Hooper Avenue.

Friends immediately drove Castro to the hospital, Coleman said, but he was pronounced dead at 5:38 p.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Castro was a member of a gang, and investigators believe the shooting was gang-related, Coleman said. Witnesses ...

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Cristian Rene Medina, a 23-year-old Latino, was fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies Wednesday, March 16, in the 6400 block of South Holmes Avenue in the Firestone-Florence neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

The incident began around 4 a.m. when the sheriff's department received a call about a robbery in progress at Gage Street and Holmes Avenue, an intersection with several businesses in the Firestone-Florence area, The Times reported. 

The caller described the robber as wearing a black hoodie sweatshirt and black shorts, and carrying a black handgun, according to a department news release. 

Two deputies answered the call, but a block south of the reported robbery scene, at Holmes Avenue and 64th Street, the deputies saw a man matching the description of the robber standing by himself next to a pay phone. 

Lt. Eddie ...

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Tyree Jackson, a 36-year-old black man, was shot and killed Tuesday, March 1, in the 8400 block of Maie Avenue in Florence-Firestone,  according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department received a call at 9:03 p.m. about a man who had been shot in the residential neighborhood, Lt. John Corina said. 

Deputies found Jackson lying in the alley, unresponsive. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:48 p.m. with multiple gunshot wounds, according to coroner’s records. 

Jackson was visiting someone in the neighborhood where he died, Corina said.

Investigators believe the shooting could be gang-related because Jackson lived in another part of Florence-Firestone and was a member of a gang that is active in that area, Corina said. 

Investigators don’t have any suspect information, and they’re ...

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Oliver Donnell White, a 61-year-old black man, died Monday, Feb. 1, after he was shot in the 1400 block of East 78th Street in Florence-Firestone, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

White was standing on the sidewalk in front of his home with several other neighbors when two men approached the group and opened fire about 6 p.m., said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Eddie Hernandez. 

“They approached from the west and started shooting from a pretty good distance away,” Hernandez said. “The only thing that tells us is Mr. White may not have been the target. They may have just been shooting at the group.”

White was the only person hit with gunfire. He had multiple gunshot wounds, Hernandez said. White was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:14 p.m., according to coroner’s records. 

The shooters were described as ...

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Posey Thomas, a 50-year-old black man, died Thursday, Dec., 10, after he was shot in the 8700 block of Beach Street in Florence-Firestone, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

The incident began about 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 9, as Posey and a female friend sat in a minivan outside another friend's home in a neighborhood of single-family homes, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Dave Coleman said.

A third friend, a man, was standing outside the minivan, when at least two people walked up to the van and began shooting, Coleman said. 

The victims did not notice how many people were shooting or get a description of the shooters, Coleman said.  "All they heard were the shots," he said.

The assailants then fled on foot in an unknown direction, Coleman said. 

Posey and his 49-year-old male friend were taken to a ...

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