Deborah Gutierrez, 34

Deborah Gutierrez, a 34-year-old Latina, died Saturday, July 23, after she was shot at the corner of North San Antonio Avenue and East 1st Street in Pomona, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Gutierrez had spent the evening with her boyfriend, the father of her two children, and were driving home when they stopped for a red light on San Antonio Avenue at 1st Street about 3:30 a.m., said Anthony Catanese, a Pomona homicide detective.

A dark-colored 2000 Cadillac DTS pulled up on the passenger side of their vehicle, he said, and the driver of the Cadillac reached out of his window and began shooting. The driver was grazed by bullets, and Gutierrez, in the passenger seat, was struck multiple times. 

The gunman, who appeared to be alone in the car, drove away south on San Antonio Avenue, and Gutierrez's boyfriend gave chase for about five blocks, Catanese said. 

Nearby officers who heard the shooting pursued the speeding cars, Catanese said, and the boyfriend pulled over at East Mission Boulevard asking for help. 

His first response, "after a heavy load of stress and adrenaline, was to catch the guy who did this to his girlfriend and the mother of his children," Catanese said. 

"Having seen enough odd behavior after homicides and other stressful events, I can say you don’t know what you’re going to do in that situation until you do it. Rendering first aid may have been a moot issue at that time. It’s easy to assume if this happened to me, I might have done the same thing.”

Gutierrez was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead at 4:03 a.m., according to coroner’s records. Her boyfriend was treated at the hospital for a superficial gunshot wound and released, Catanese said.

Officers found the gunman's car on Mission Boulevard, not far from where the shooting began, Catanese said. A black man later identified as Robert Lee Brogan, 23, was seen parking the car and walking away, Catanese said. He was arrested moments later on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. 

Investigators also found a handgun on Mission Boulevard that they believe was thrown from Brogan’s vehicle, Catanese said. “There was no other traffic or foot traffic in that area before it was recovered,” he said.

Bogan is a documented member of Pomona gang, Catanese said, but investigators have not determined a motive for the shooting. "At this point it appears to be unprovoked," Catanese said. 

The couple did not know Brogan, and they don’t have any gang ties, said Sgt. Marcus Perez, head of Pomona’s detective bureau. 

Brogan, who is being held without bail, was charged with murder and attempted murder on Tuesday, with the special circumstance allegation that the murder was intentional and perpetrated by firing a gun from a vehicle, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. 

The felony complaint also alleges that Brogan discharged a handgun, which caused great personal injury and death, and that he was convicted in 2012 of preventing or dissuading a victim by force or threat, and possession for sale of cocaine base. 

Brogan is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 28 in Department N of the Pomona Courthouse, a branch of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.  

Anyone with information is asked to call the Catanese at the Pomona Police Department at (909) 620-2085. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. 

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.