Erwin Eduardo Tum Escobar, 14 [Updated]

Erwin Escobar, 14,  a Latino youth, was shot and killed at 140 S. Kenmore Ave. in Koreatown at about 10:40 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24. He was getting out of a car when two Latino men or youths confronted him, shot him several times, and ran. His mother was on the balcony of their apartment building, and saw all of it. By the time she ran downstairs, he appeared to be dead, family members said.

He was still on the ground when LAPD Rampart officers arrived. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

About 45 minutes later, two Rampart patrol officers got a robbery call at Loma and 2nd Street, a few miles to the east toward downtown. A man was trying to rob a catering truck driver.

The two Rampart officers, James Muniz and Rick Stannard, answered the call quickly enough to spot the suspect--Richard Alvarez, 21.

Alvarez also saw the officers. He began walking away from the catering truck, attempting to surreptitiously ditch a gun along the way, police said. But the Muniz and Stannard saw him do it, detained him, and got the gun too. While still in the field, they determined that Alvarez, their robbery suspect, also matched the description of the killer of Erwin Escobar, and upon further investigation, Alvarez was arrested in connection with Erwin's killing. "Outstanding work," said Homicide Det. Fred Faustino, of Muniz and Stannard's arrest that night.

A second suspect, about 17 years old, 5-foot-5, and wearing a dark beanie, is still at large. Anyone with information is asked to call Rampart homicide detectives at (213) 207-2060.

Erwin was a 9th grader at Belmont High. He wanted to be a police officer, his mother said.

[Update Jan. 19: Alvarez, a Rockwood gang member, was convicted of first-degree murder Nov. 30, 2010, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County district attorney. Two months later, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Superior Court Judge Ronald Rose ordered Alvarez to pay Erwin's family more than $7,000 in restitution for burial expenses.]

-- Sarah Ardalani 

Bottom photo: Stuffed animals at the shrine.