Brian David Balderama, 15

June 28, 2010, 9:54 a.m.

Brian Balderama, a 15-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Sunday, June 27, in the 1400 block of Gaviota Avenue in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Police responded to a report of a shooting about 6:25 a.m. and found Brian suffering from several gunshot wounds to the torso, according to a Long Beach Police news release.

Paramedics were called and Brian was taken to a local hospital, where he died three hours later, according to coroner's records.

Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office, said Brian was at a friend's house when he was shot.

The motive for the shooting remains unknown; however, the incident is being investigated as possibly gang-related.

Anyone with information about the death of Brian Balderama is asked to contact Long Beach Police Department Homicide detectives Patrick O'Dowd and Terri Hubert at (562) 570-7244.

-- Sarah Ardalani

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41 reader comments

well first of all you guys dont get it
its not about who is killing who or if he was a gang menber the only think about this is that we have kids kiling kids now stop talking about mex or blacks or asian . the sad part is tha kids have the guns out of nowere, we are in guatemala city i been raise in the south east los angeles in whittier
been there and done that but were ever you go theres allways gang but in here we got 9 yrs boy killing any one now this is hell were im at check on the new in guatemala it alot worst tham there so who ever said go back to your country you are wrong our house its been ours since Columbus came and discover what this was already ours but they when an mess it up everthing now you us to get out crazy fool dont know about our roots

— julio Feb. 11, 2012 at 10:31 a.m.

syscom3, you are right i think this was a retaliation killing from the cambodian kid who got murked, a week or two earlier, this aint no baby, he was a student at the highschool where i work at. I see students like him come and go then die after they drop out. I plead with them to stay in school cause the streets is not the biz. he made his choice to run with the east side longos (gang) @562rez, aint no north side longo , sos)samoan (baby insane)black(rollin 20s)Black gang going to 14th and gaviota, to shoot up a longo. It gotta be the asians TRG that area is mostly asian and mexicans for the last 15 years since the black flight started after the 92 riots. LAST MON down the street JONATHON CORDOVA 18 was murked on 15th and stanley look in up on the maps...3 shootings close by 1 cambodian, and 2 mexicans ALL TEENS ALL DEAD...its a war and there will be more... i live on pch and mlk, i work at a long beach high school i know what im talking bout...

— 562vert July 3, 2010 at 10:23 a.m.

Wizzard:
"I wish all the "wanna be" gangsters would look here and see how it is after you are dead and gone".

Wizzard,
The sad thing is, they do, but not for the reasons we would want them too; I believe they come here to see the hurt, and destruction they've caused; They're cowards, and they have no sympathy for anything, or anybody they hurt, or kill. Until California start sending them to death-row, and actually pulling the plug on these heartless, and evil predators, then will we see a change after we start getting rid of them, or if this country would do something about the immigration problem we have, and sending them back to where they came from to let their countries deal with them, because they feel they have to much freedom in the US that they really don't deserve like the immigrants that come here to work hard contribute to our society.

— Just Say'n July 1, 2010 at 8:58 a.m.