Armando Vera, 22

Jan. 20, 2007, 4:33 p.m.

Armando Vera, a 22-year-old Latino, was shot at 9510 Van Nuys Blvd. in the north San Fernando Valley and died at 4:33 p.m. Jan. 20.

Police officers found him wounded on the sidewalk. Vera reportedly had been arguing with his girlfriend over a child custody issue. Police said they believe that the girlfriend’s brother, 24-year-old Rudy Angel Magana, shot Vera, then fled in a red Ford Explorer. Dets. G. Parshall and J. Weiler are asking for the public’s help. (818) 838-9810.

[Update: Magana later committed suicide during a police standoff.]

-- Jill Leovy

Share a memory or thought about Armando Vera

Before you post, here are some answers to frequently asked questions:

Remember, all posts are approved by a Times staffer. Profanity and personal attacks will not be approved.

Four reader comments

Unlike L.A.P.D. Detective G. Parshall, I was there. The argument between Armando & Rudy about visitation rights was not the reason behind the shooting of Armando Vera. Only at first was the argument about visitation rights, Rudy noticed that Armando and the female that was with him had been drinking. When Armando was asked if he had been drinking, his reply was "Yes I've been drinking, so what! what are you going to do about it?" At that point, He (Armando) was told that he could not leave with the child. That is when the argument took a turn for the worst. Apparently the two young men were from two different gangs. When Rudy didn't back down from the fight with Armando, Armando began to threaten Rudy by saying that he was from the gang 18 street. When Rudy heard this, that is when he began to say the name of his gang (compton). Armando told Rudy that is he did not let him leave with his son, that he will return with some "Home-boys" and that they were going to handle him (Rudy) his sister and take the child and that there was nothing he (Rudy) could do about it. That is when Rudy pulled out his gun and pointed it at Armando and said "You need to get the hell out of my pad before something bad happens to you". Thats when Armando took a step foward and said "you don't have the guts to do it, if you did you would have done it already. You watch and see, When I get back with my hommies we are going to kill both you and your sister". That is when Rudy puld the trigger and shot Armando.

— Joe Jan. 30, 2012 at 3:47 p.m.