Woman asked police for help moments before fatal Hawthorne shooting

A 44-year-old black woman was fatally shot in front of her 12-year-old son Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities.

Denise Berry stopped her car shortly after 12:30 p.m. near West Rosecrans Avenue and Kornblum Avenue in Hawthorne to tell a police officer that someone was following her gray Mercedes, said Lt. Dave Coleman with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The officer told Berry to pull in front of him and park. After Berry got back into her car, a Cadillac pulled up and a person inside got out and began firing at Berry and her 12-year-old son, who was in the passenger seat. Coleman said the gunman opened fire "right smack" in front of the officer.

The Hawthorne police officer fired at the gunman, striking him. The gunman, later identified as Robert Washington, a 38-year-old black man, and Berry, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The boy, who was struck in the upper body, was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition.

On Thursday afternoon, Coleman said detectives are trying to piece together why Washington opened fire on Berry.

Shortly before the shooting, Coleman said that Berry and her son saw the Cadillac with a person’s feet hanging out the window. He said that the woman and her son made note of the car and chuckled. 

“There were no gang signs, none of that,” Coleman said.

Deputies arrested two people in Washington’s car: Stanley White, a 24-year-old black man, and Brandon White, a 19-year-old black man.

Authorities recovered two loaded weapons at the scene, Coleman said.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

Update, April 3, 4:14 p.m.: This post has been updated to reflect the race of the victim and the additional suspects.

Update, April 3, 4:45 p.m.: This post has been updated with the correct spelling of the victim's name and the correct age. A previous post said that her name was spelled Barry and her age was 34, as a result of an incorrect press release.