Sergio Moises Wilms, 19

Sergio Wilms, a 19-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Jan. 18 outside a condominium complex in the 18200 block of Van Ness Ave. in Torrance, according to authorities.

At the time of his shooting, Wilms was allegedly attacking a teenage boy packing a car for a Boy Scout camping trip. Carmen Reyes, a 58-year-old Asian man, was arrested the same day and then released four days later pending further investigation.

A police spokesman told KTLA that the boy's mother had screamed for help and Reyes, who was renting a room from her, allegedly ran outside with a weapon and shot and killed Wilms.

"Bottom line is somebody was killed and we need to know why this happened, or how this happened," Sgt. Robert Watt said.

The Daily Breeze reported that people who knew Wilms were stunned by reports that he had been violent. A former teacher of Wilms at Shery High School, a continuation school in Torrance, described him as a "peaceful kid" who liked to skateboard and go without a shirt or shoes.

-- Megan Garvey