Armando Carranza, 20

Armando Carranza, a 20-year-old Latino, died Wednesday, Aug. 19, after he was stabbed in the 3400 block of Belcroft Avenue in El Monte, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

The incident began about 8:40 p.m. as Carranza was standing in line outside an ice cream truck around the corner from his El Monte home, said Los Angeles County sheriff’s Det. David Gunner.

A man came up to Carranza, “asked him where he was from, and then proceeded to stab him to death,” Gunner said. No one heard Carranza’s response.

“There’s never a good answer to that question. It always goes sideways.”

The man with the knife ran away. Carranza was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:40 p.m., according to coroner’s records. About 10 other people were waiting in line for ice cream when Carranza was stabbed, including several children, Gunner said.

“We interviewed a lot of people,” Gunn said. “We had really good cooperation from people, which is something we’re not really used to.”

David Garcia, a 20-year-old Latino and alleged gang member, was arrested by El Monte police later that evening.

Garcia was on probation for a felony conviction for evading a police officer, Gunner said.

He is being held in Los Angeles County Jail in lieu of $1,060,000 bail. Garcia was charged with one count of murder on Aug. 24, and is scheduled to be arraigned on Oct. 15 in the Los Angeles County Superior Court's Pomona Courthouse, Department F, according to Sarah Ardalani, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Gunner said investigators don’t believe Carranza knew his attacker. He grew up in the neighborhood, Gunner said, and lived at home with his parents.

“He was a decent kid, with no criminal history or gang affiliation," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.