Jeffrey Nicola, 22

Jeffrey Nicola, 22, a white young man, was shot in the thigh, shoulder and torso at 801 N. Kenmore Avenue in the Melrose Hill neighborhood of Los Angeles--the hilly area north of Koreatown--and died at 1:20 a.m. July 28.

He was at a party--a tranquil and "square" party, involving alumni from local Catholic high schools. The party was at a vacant house thrown by parents who had allowed their daughter to use it for the gathering that night.

Around midnight, the dynamic at the party changed as strangers began trying to crash the gathering, said Rampart Sgt. Thomas Bojorquez. At some point, a conflict inside moved outside and a Latino man or youth fired many rounds at Nicola in the front yard. Officers responding to a shooting call found Nicola lying outside, dead at the scene. The suspect escaped in a car. LAPD Rampart detectives are investigating.

Take notice, urged Bojorquez, the Rampart sergeant: If you are at a party and the mood or the mix of the crowd seems to be changing, leave. If an argument breaks out involving anyone at the party, leave. If you are throwing the party and "you look around and you don't recognize the people at the party," call the police. "We are trying to get the word out," Bojorquez said. "When you lose control of your party, call us."