Bell Gardens man charged with shooting brothers in East L.A. park

A Bell Gardens man was charged Wednesday with murder in the fatal shooting of two brothers at a park in East Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. 

Pedro Vasquez, 23, faces two counts of murder in the deaths of Antonio Aguilar, 33, and Juan Aguilar, 28. A special circumstances allegation of multiple murders makes him eligible for the death penalty if convicted. 

Antonio and Juan Valenti Aguilar were in Ruben F. Salazar Park near Whittier Boulevard and Ditman Avenue in East L.A. on Nov. 22, 2015, when they were approached by three people, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Eddie Hernandez. Prosecutors said one of three was Vasquez.

It was about 11 a.m. The people were casually talking when, prosecutors said, Vasquez pulled out a gun and fired at the Aguilar brothers. 

Antonio Aguilar was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:31 a.m., according to coroner’s records. Juan Aguilar was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:02 p.m. 

Soon after the incident, Sheriff’s Department deputies spoke to witnesses who saw three people get away in two cars. Hernandez said police suspected that the killing was gang-related. But prosecutors did not pursue a gang allegation against Vasquez. 

Sheriff’s deputies also believe the brothers were targeted, but prosecutors have not revealed a motive, a district attorney's spokesman said.

Vasquez is scheduled be arraigned April 27. 

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.