Dominique Johnson, 28

Dominique Johnson, a 28-year-old black man, was shot in a drive-by assault just before midnight July 4 and died in the hospital shortly after.

On Saturday, his friends and family gathered in Cerritos Park to celebrate what would have been his 29th birthday. There was food and laughter, Johnson's two young children swung from the playground equipment and family members gathered at the picnic tables to talk and play dominoes.

But there was a heaviness to the celebration.

This was the park where Johnson spent his last day celebrating July 4th with his family.Shonda Louden, Johnson's girlfriend, said they had spent all day July 4 in the park celebrating then drove home to set off fireworks in front of his grandmother's house.

Johnson lived with Louden in the 1300 block of North Tamarind Avenue in Compton, about a block away from his grandmother's house. When his family finished setting off fireworks, Johnson and Louden got into his car and drove the short distance back to their home.Louden said she went inside to take a shower as Johnson stayed in his car to talk to a neighbor.

--Anthony Pesce

Dispatch: 'Anything anybody needed Dominique was there to do for them'