Ronald Lamont Barron, 40

Feb. 15, 2010, 10:59 a.m.

Ronald Lamonte Barron, a 40-year-old black man, was shot and killed Sunday, Feb. 7, in the 5000 block of West Pico Blvd. in Mid-Wilshire, authorities said.

A former Crips gang member who police said transformed himself by working to steer others away from lives of violence, Barron was fatally shot after he confronted a tagger, Los Angeles police said.

Barron was leaving the Cottage Bar about 9 p.m. with his girlfriend when he noticed a tagger applying graffiti to a nearby wall, police said.

Barron confronted the tagger, who pulled out a pistol and fired once, hitting Barron in the chest.

Barron had once been a Mansfield Crips gang member but had made a successful transition to gang outreach and intervention work, authorities said.

Barron continued to use his former gang name, "Looney," and worked for Amer-I-Can, a gang-intervention program founded by Football Hall of Fame member Jim Brown. Barron was known for his gang outreach work in the L.A. County jails.

-- Andrew Blankstein

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67 reader comments

I can't believe it's been overtwo years since"LOONEY" passed. I hope that this is noticed. HOWEVER if not it's ok. AS I only need to say it . RONNIE BARRON was a human being WHO made many mistakes inn his life. HE DID TURN HIS LIFE AROUND AND HELPED MANY YOUNG PPL GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HE SHOWED THEM THAT SOMEONE CARED IN A WORLD WHERE FEW DO. HE GREW UP IN A WORLD FILLED WITH POVERTY AND VIOLENCE AND HE REACTED ACCORDINGLY. WHO ELSE COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUNG PPL IN LA ARE GOING THRU. AND YES HE CARED VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE PPL IN THE WORLD. STILL, KNOW THAT HE was proud OF where HE CAME FROM. SOME CALLED HIM A HERO, SOME CAN SAY HE WAS DUMB TO DO WHAT HE DID THAT CAUSED HIS LIFE TO END. I SAY THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE THAT THOUGH IT COST HIM HIS LIFE IT WAS MEANT WITH GOOD INTENTIONS.
I THINK ABOUT HIM from time to time am happy that I was FORTUNATE to know him and to call him friend.

— TINA TANGUAY June 10, 2012 at 10:13 p.m.

I felt goosebumps after I read this article. I can't be more touched in how sad it is for his girlfriend and family. I knew "looney" he took his valuable time to teach me the decision making process when I was in self-doubt. He showed me that there is hope, faith, and love when I decided to be part of a positive change and leave behind my self-doubt. It is very sad to hear this news. I still will carry on to be self-determined and believe in a spiritual supernatural power above heaven. This program can open your eyes and see ur own light. I'm rich within myself and motivates me to think proficiently when I'm at work, school, church, family or with friends. I commit to provide myself with a better understanding how to support and apply new methods of worksmanship. Looney u will be remember by ur great efforts and being a great mentor and guide in my life. Thanks same goes to every member in the amer-i-can program! "NO GUTS, NO GLORY"

— carlos ambeliz June 6, 2011 at 2:36 a.m.

It saddens me to read all the hate that people have in their hearts nowadays...As I read through the blogs I see some of you speak with so much ignorance and assumptions...He never approached the child aggressively and if you knew him personally you would have known that after he changed his life he was never a supporter of violence and always kept a positive attitude...His favorite quote was " TELL ME THE GOOD PART" =) He was in a really good mood the night the he was killed not a angry bone in his body! His smile lit up the whole room! I would just appreciate if you would not speak about him in a disrespectful way and let him rest in peace at this point. We are still grieving from losing such a beautiful person in our family....He was loved by many...As you can see... So its obvious that he had touched many peoples hearts in many different ways. Please respect that. If you dont have anything nice to say please dont say anything at all...Thank You ...God Bless...R.I.P. Ronnie..Gone But Never Forgotten...Love Ro....

— Monica (Ro Ro) July 20, 2010 at 4:58 p.m.

Just ask yourself Elbergudo... how many lives have you touched in a positive manner today.. you sit behind your computer and LOL about a changed man's murder.. a father who leaves behind a family... just know that this too will come back on you. But in the spirit of my brother Looney... I will pray for your pitiful existence to see some light and perhaps some love one day. You sound deprived of these things. I assume you consider yourself a victim, cause you sound like one! Here's some free knowledge: you don't have to be. You can take charge over your own life. You can free yourself from the bitterness, hatred and darkness that you represent right now.
If only you would've known Looney, I feel sorry for you. Hope you get better soon.

R.I.P LOONEY .... WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH!

— LooneyLove Feb. 27, 2010 at 9:30 p.m.

My question to you is how many lives did he negatively impacted Loonlove? You obviously know him personally well why don't you type all the crimes he commited before he found "GOD" as you say you must've been there too or are you one of his so called saves or interveenees? Has there been any restitution made too any of his many victims or their families? Why is it when one of these so called exgangmembers turn into gang interventionist or whatever gets killed people make a big deal about it? I'm glad I didn't get to know this fool! Remember GOD has nothing to do with this. You live by the sword, die by the sword. Matthew 26:52. Don't use your acceptance to God to justify your past wrongs. "Know I believe in GOD forgive me" is an old lame excuse to cop out from any problems you encounter in life. Unfortunately GOD couldn't intervine on OG Loons mistake to confront the tagger that night. LOL

— ElberGudo Feb. 27, 2010 at 6:54 p.m.

ElberGudo!! Looney saved hundreds of lives. I personally know may teenagers who have turned their lives around under Looney's influence and went on to go on to live full and productive lives. How many lives have you saved? ELBERGUDO... You are 100% negativity ... quoting Bible verses but you don't even know God is about forgiveness and second chances! Looney was in schools talking to youth, showing them that violence is not the way. You are hiding behind your computer spreading negativity. Ask yourself: who is going to hell?

Looney stood for LOYALTY and LOVE! Too bad your negative life will never be touched by the light that he was. Just know my brother had the biggest heart and he would even dignify someone like you with conversation. It is obvious you never met him.

— LooneyLove Feb. 26, 2010 at 8:35 p.m.

ElberGudo!! Looney saved hundreds of lives. I personally know may teenagers who have turned their lives around under Looney's influence and went on to go on to live full and productive lives. How many lives have you saved? ELBERGUDO... You are the DEVIL!! 100% negative ... quoting Bible verses but you don't even know God is about forgiveness and second chances! Looney was in schools talking to youth, showing them that violence is not the way. You are hiding behind your computer spreading negativity. Ask yourself: who is going to hell?

— LooneyLove Feb. 26, 2010 at 8:33 p.m.

People come from many walks of life. The best teachers are the experienced teachers. SO WHAT if he was an ex-Gang Banger. God delivered him from that and gave him another chance to give back to the community. These types of people are in all types of sectors. ELberGudo how do you know what took place there. You stated that you dont think LOON asked him nicely to stop tagging. It sounds like to me you are on the other end of this murder and might have some information on the person who took his life. Sounds like to me you might know this person or it might have been one of your friends or maybe even you since you would be strapped if you were out tagging. You expressed some details in your blogs that only an assoicate of the murder would know. UMMMM. The tongue is a very dangerous muscle. Maybe you should hold your tongue. LOON REST in Peace brother and continue to do your work from heaven. If god can deliver prostitutes, drug dealers, murders, abusive parents etc. I know he delivered you. SO many people talk crap in safe places and wont bust a GRAPE in the name of Welch's!!! KEEp your negative feedback.

— Mrseducatedwoman Feb. 23, 2010 at 7:58 p.m.

syscom3, I bet if you were tagging out on the streets u would be strapped too. I would, you never know if you run into your rivals. You weren't their either so we don't know what was said. But I doubt "LOON" asked him nicely to stop tagging. It probably went something like "Hey Mutha F**ca stop hittin up in my HOOD, this is MFGC Hood" and like South Central said kid got scared probably thought he was going to get jumped or blasted at and he capped first. Self-defense. These so called gang interventionists are just an extention of their gangs. This is another way to work the system for our tax dollars to legitimize themselves in society. All those tax dollars are used to help their homies fund their illegal activities. Like I wrote before KARMA. This guy had it coming too him. Payback is a b**ch.

— ElberGudo Feb. 23, 2010 at 11:02 a.m.