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Jose Aguirre, 39 [Updated]

Jose Aguirre, a 39-year-old Latino, was shot to death Friday, May 14, in the 600 block of Monterey Pass Road in Monterey Park, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Aguirre was involved in an altercation with another person in a parking lot about 1:30 p.m., said Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office.

The individual pulled out a gun and shot Aguirre, Winter said, and he was taken to County-USC Hospital where he died at 2:09 p.m., according to coroner's records.

Authorities arrested the shooter, but Winter did not know if the suspect had been charged with murder.

The Times will provide more information about the case as soon as it becomes available.

[Update May 24: Sheriff’s officials have arrested Rafael Berumen, a 55-year-old Latino, in connection with Aguirre’s homicide.

Berumen was the ex-boyfriend of Aguirre’s current girlfriend, according to homicide Det. Steve Lankford, who is handling the investigation.

On the afternoon of the shooting, Berumen allegedly followed Aguirre to work and got into a verbal altercation with him at his parked car, Lankford said. During their argument, Lankford said that Berumen left to retrieve a shotgun from his car, then returned to Aguirre's vehicle, where he shot him.

Authorities said that Berumen fled the scene and went to his ex-girlfriend's house where he was apprehended by police no more than an hour after the shooting.

In addition to arresting Berumen, authorities retrieved what they said they have identified as the murder weapon along with an additional handgun.

Berumen has been charged with murder, Lankford said, and he waived his first arraignment.

His next court appearance is scheduled for June 7 at the Alhambra Municipal Court. Berumen is currently being held at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic.]

[For the record: The coroner's office initially incorrectly reported that the shooting occurred at 16806 Mooncrest Drive in Encino.]

-- Sarah Ardalani

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