Pablo Hernandez, 27

Pablo Hernandez, 27, a Latino man, was gunned down at the mouth of an alley while attending a children's party on East 54th Street near Avalon Boulevard in LAPD's Newton Division at about 5:30 p.m. June 10.

Hernandez was visiting a cousin. They were standing in back of the gathering drinking sodas. One of the party hostesses asked the cousin to help set up a children's blow-up jumper. The young man walked over to help her, and as he did, he heard multiple shots from the mouth of the alley.

At the sound, the children at the party dropped and huddled. The cousin ran back out to the alley just in time to see the wounded Hernandez stagger toward the street, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He collapsed after a few yards, and died in surgery later at California Hospital.

By that time, numerous family members had gathered in the hospital waiting room, said LAPD Det. Dennis Fanning. Emotion swept through the room when doctors notified them of Hernandez' death. There were tears and recriminations.

A mother nearly collapsed, a father appeared taciturn but obliterated by grief, according to Fanning. "I'm tired of grief," Fanning said. "Only so much grief one can take in a lifetime." The suspect in the case may be a Latino man or youth on foot.

Update: This case has been cleared. A 17-year-old Latino youth is in custody.

Photo: the killing occurred in a neighborhood of grand old houses, such as this one, which stands near the spot where Hernandez fell. The street is east of the Harbor Freeway, and south of the 10 Freeway not far from the historic portion of South Central Avenue.