A story for every victim

Luis Rosas, 18

Luis Rosas, an 18-year-old Latino man, was fatally shot while playing basketball at Bell High School about 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, 2008.

Rosas, of Bell, was shot in the upper torso and staggered into the school's gymnasium, bleeding, where he collapsed and died in front of a crowd of about 40 people attending a youth basketball game, KTLA Channel 5 reported.

"Kids were running up and down the court, you know, right during the game and the guy just walked in the gym and just collapsed right in front of all the kids," Danny Cardie told KTLA. Cardie, who was attending the game, said stunned parents tried to help Rosas, but it was too late.

"He was trying to gasp for air, you know, but the blood was all in his mouth, he couldn't breathe. So we tilted him over to the side, let the blood out, but just a couple minutes after that he stopped moving," he said.

Authorities said Rosas had been playing basketball on school grounds when he was approached by one or more persons. Anyone with information is asked to call  sheriff's homicide detectives at (323) 890-5500.

-- Anthony Pesce

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