A story for every victim

Melissa Lourdes Lopez, 16

Melissa Lourdes Lopez, a 16-year-old Latina teenager, was shot and killed Sept. 18 in the 800 block of Bayview Avenue in Wilmington, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s records.

About 3:11 p.m., Melissa was standing in a group of people who had gathered to memorialize a man who was killed at the same location in March 2018, said Los Angeles Police Det. David Cortez.

A person walked up and began firing, striking four people.

Melissa was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:20 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

Alex Gutierrez, 24, was also struck. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead at 4:49 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

Gutierrez was the brother of the person who was being memorialized that day.

Two other women, a bystander in her 70s and another young adult who was with the group, were wounded but not seriously.

Police are looking for witnesses.

Anyone with information can call Cortez at (310) 726-7889. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

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