Taalib Pecantte, 7

Dec. 3, 2013

Taalib Pecantte, a 7-year-old black male, died Tuesday, Dec. 3, one day after he was shot in the 1900 block of South Corning Street in Mid-City, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 9 p.m. on Dec. 2, Taalib along with his mother and a man were shot, said LAPD Det. John Skaggs. What led to the shooting is unknown.

The gunman and three others, described as black men in black hooded sweatshirts, fled in a white compact car.

Taalib's mother and the man were treated at a hospital for graze wounds. Taalib was also taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:18 p.m. Tuesday, said Los Angeles County Coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter.

Skaggs said detectives are investigating the incident.

“It fits some similarities of gang activity, but we don’t know for sure yet,” Skaggs said.

Anyone with information can call LAPD’s West Bureau at (213) 382-9470. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

Correction: A previous version of this post misspelled Taalib's name as Talaib Pecante, based on incorrect information from the coroner's office.

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19 reader comments

@January baby and @Ghost..... how dare either of you cast out such a harsh Judgement. So let me ask you this did the parents of the children in Connecticut cause their babies death as well because each and everyone of them woke up that morning and decided to dress their babies and send them off to school so does that make them bad parents???? are they to blame?? This is a heart breaking tragedy and not one single person is to blame but the crowd behind the gun. What honor was in this???? What life altering recognition did he gain???? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE??? I have no clue how this person looks himself in the mirror or feels like he's worth the breath that he takes knowing that he took the life of an innocent child. I pray the life and the smile of Taalib onto the heart of the man that took his. I pray that he is haunted everyday with the thought of that lil boy laying in that hospital with a gunshot wound to his heart fighting for his life while his family watches and prays harder then they have ever prayed before. Taalibs mother loved him and still loves him ....So until you have suffered the pain of losing a child to the hands of somebody that clearly gave up on their own life...you cant Judge because that pain is something NOBODY should ever know.....GOD BLESS TAALIB AND HIS FAMILY

— praying 4 Taalib Dec. 31, 2013 at 12:56 p.m.