Miss Welch, 21

Miss Welch, a 21-year-old black woman, was shot and killed Thursday, April 15, in the 1400 block of North Paulsen Street in Compton, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Det. Ray Lugo, of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, who is handling the investigation, said Welch, was sitting on a front porch with her boyfriend and several other friends when someone walked up and started shooting at them about 9:30 p.m.

Welch was struck in the chest and was taken to a hospital in Lynwood, where she died at 11:51 p.m., said Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office.

Welch's boyfriend was grazed by a bullet and treated at the scene. No one else was hurt.

Lugo said police believe the shooting was gang-related. Welch, he said, was not a gang member.

Witnesses to the shooting described the assailant as a black male in his late teens to early 20s, Lugo said. Detectives have several leads on who the shooter might be.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Det. Ray Lugo or Joe Ramirez at the sheriff's homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500.

--Sarah Ardalani