Reward offered in shooting death of Long Beach man
Los Angeles County supervisors have issued a $10,000 reward for information in the shooting of a 25-year-old Long Beach man who is believed to be the victim of mistaken identity.
Olataga P. Filemoni Jr. was standing outside his home about 11 p.m. on July 25 when he was shot, said Long Beach Police Det. Mark McGuire. Filemoni was talking with two friends in the 3200 block of Baltic Avenue when a small compact car they did not recognize stopped in front of the home, detectives said.
A person inside the car yelled a gang phrase, and Filemoni and his friends turned around to go inside the home. That's when someone began shooting.
“Our victims are not gang members,” McGuire said. “We suspect that the suspects are.”
McGuire described Filemoni as a “hardworking, Christian young man.”
He says he hopes the reward, issued in late August, will prompt anyone with information to call police.
“We want people to come forward because these victims were enjoying life, and they got targeted by the suspects,” McGuire said. “It’s a heinous crime that needs to be solved.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Long Beach Police Dets. Mark McGuire and Greg Krabbe at (562) 570-7244. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
Photo: Olataga Filemoni, Credit: Long Beach Police Department
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