Warren Elam, 60 [Updated]

Warren Elam, a 60-year-old black man, died Monday, Sept. 27, a little more than five months after he was assaulted in the 2000 block of East 113th Street in Watts, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office, said Elam was riding his bike May 20 when he was attacked by an unknown assailant.

Elam suffered blunt head trauma during the assault, Winter said.

After the incident, Elam rode his bike back home then went to Harbor UCLA Medical Center for his injuries. He was transferred to Memorial Hospital in Gardena, but returned to Harbor UCLA, where he died Sept. 27, according to coroner’s records.

Winter said Elam's death was initially listed as a homicide because coroner's officials believe he may have died due to complications from his injuries. A final determination has been deferred pending additional tests.

Results will not be available for another six to eight weeks, he said.

The neighborhood where Elam was attacked is among the most dangerous patrolled by the LAPD or Los Angeles County Sheriff, according to data collected for The Times' new interactive Crime L.A. database. 

Watts, which is located in the city of Los Angeles, ranks 12th highest for violent crime per 10,000 residents. Since the start of the Homicide Report in January 2007, at least 56 people have been the victims of homicide in Watts.

[Update Feb. 28, 2011: Coroner's officials said Elam's death was ultimately ruled a homicide. He was pushed off a bicycle and assaulted with a glass bottle, they said, and he suffered blunt force trauma to the head. At the end of his life, Elam experienced bronchial pneumonia, which was a result of a subdural hematoma, or brain injury.]

--Sarah Ardalani