Juan Manuel Ayuso, 51

Juan Manuel Ayuso, a 51-year-old Latino, was fatally shot on Saturday, July 28, in the 8800 block of South Vermont Avenue in the South Los Angeles community of Westmont, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Ayuso was standing near the door of a liquor store at 8801 S. Vermont Ave. when two men walked out of the store and a dark-colored sedan pulled up at 8:14 p.m. said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Mendoza. 

Three men got out of the car and began shooting at the two men leaving the store,  Juan Antonio Lopez, a 23-year-old Latino, and his acquaintance, a 21-year-old black male, Mendoza said. 

Both men were struck by gunfire, as were Ayuso and three other Latinos standing nearby, Mendoza said. 

Ayuso was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead at 8:46 p.m., according to coroner’s records. His cause of death was listed as a gunshot wound to the torso. 

Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:51 p.m., according to coroner’s records. 

Lopez's acquaintance and two other bystanders were taken to the hospital and are expected to survive, Mendoza said. The fourth bystander had minor injuries and refused treatment, he said. 

Ayuso was a homeless man who had been staying in the Westmont area, said Sgt. Guillermo Morales. 

Lopez, a resident of Compton, had gone into the liquor store alone, Morales said, but walked out with his acquaintance. 

Investigators don’t have a description of the shooters except for their gender, Mendoza said. The shooters got back into the dark-colored sedan and were last seen driving south on South Vermont Avenue.

Lopez was not involved in a gang, Morales said. Investigators don’t know if the shooters or Lopez's acquaintance have gang ties. 

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.