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Robert Earl Gipson, 23

Robert Earl Gipson (2010-03-19)

Robert Gipson, a 23-year-old black man, died Friday, March 19, of complications from a gunshot he sustained to the head in the 1700 block of East 92nd Street in Florence-Firestone, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Gipson and Ricardo Mendoza, a rival gang member, were involved in a car-to-car shooting along East 92nd Street near Holmes Avenue on Feb. 28, according to authorities.

The two men allegedly fired more than a dozen bullets before Mendoza’s 1998 green Honda Civic came to a stop, probably because he had been wounded. At about the same time, Gipson made a U-turn and crashed his 2000 white Ford Mustang into a telephone pole in front of 1774 E. 92nd St., police said.

Mendoza, who had been shot several times, was pronounced dead at the scene. Gipson was transferred to St. Francis Medical Center where he remained in critical condition until his death March 19 at 11 a.m.

-- Sarah Ardalani and Amina Kahn

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