Stanley Osbaldo Montes, 25

Jan. 13, 2016

Stanley Osbaldo Montes, a 25-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Monday, Jan. 4, near South Figueroa Street and West 42nd Place in Vermont Square, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Shortly after 7 p.m., Montes was playing basketball with friends when the group was approached by two suspects, LAPD Det. Dave Garrido said. One of the men opened fire, striking Montes, Garrido said.

The two ran from the basketball court south on South Figueroa Street, police said. Montes was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:50 p.m., according to coroner’s records.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (323) 786-5110. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

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Four reader comments

Stanley was my cousin. Stanley was an older brother whom deeply loved his mother and brother. It pains me that he loss his life to the streets. The streets that I so often defended as not being that bad. South LA is known for drugs, prostitution, gangs, high crimes, thugs... But it is also home to us: mothers, children, cousins, brothers, dreamers, college graduates and everyone else caught in between all the chaos. It has now been a month and a day since Stanley's death. Too much pain all at once... Stanley. I'm so, so sorry.
Violence. Community violence. Gang violence. Relationship violence. Violence amongst neighbors. Violence. Why do we resort to violence to "resolve" conflicts? We've been robbed of a soulmate, a dreamer, kindness and innocence. I'm sorry Stanley. I'm so, sorry.

— Unbearable Pain Feb. 5, 2016 at 11:06 p.m.