Gang Member, 19, Arrested In Baby Murder

Unread post by **Christina Marie** » September 18th, 2007, 5:43 pm

Sep 18, 2007 3:46 pm US/Pacific

Gang Member, 19, Arrested In Baby Murder

(CBS) LOS ANGELES A 19-year-old reputed gang member was charged Tuesday with murder and other crimes in connection with the shooting death of a 3-week-old baby Saturday near MacArthur Park.

Luis Silva was scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse in connection with the killing of 23-day-old Luis Angel Garcia, who was struck by a stray bullet as his mother pushed his stroller.

The murder charge alleges the special circumstance allegation that the murder was carried out to further the activities of a criminal street gang. Prosecutors have not yet decided if they will seek the death penalty.

It was unclear whether Silva actually fired the shot that killed the boy. Police are still searching for other suspects.

In addition to murder, Silva is also charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of attempted extortion.

Prosecutors said gang members tried to extort money from outdoor vendors on Sept. 1, and one vendor refused to pay. Gang members allegedly returned to MacArthur Park Saturday and opened fire, striking one vendor, 37-year-old
Francisco Clemente, at least twice.

One of the attempted murder charges involves the vendor, while the other attempted murder charges involve the baby's mother and her fiance, who were in the area near Sixth Street and Burlington Avenue when the gunfire erupted,
according to prosecutors.

The city is offering a $75,000 reward for information in the case.

"The local gang members hold the community hostage," City Councilman Ed Reyes said today while introducing the motion to offer the reward. "It's unfortunate that an infant is killed this way. It's just as tragic that a community feels that it can't do anything about it because it lives in terror.

"What kind of city do we have in which we allow our sidewalks to be used as sources of income by gang members because we don't have the will, the desire -- and I keep being told it's the resources -- that keeps us from having
two or three officers, maybe four, routinely go down that corridor and tell everyone who is selling illegally that this is not permitted."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said he met with the infant's mother.

"The cold blooded murder of a tiny, defenseless newborn baby is a crime that we just can't tolerate and won't tolerate in the city of Los Angeles," Villaraigosa said yesterday. "Anyone who is willing to gun down a man in cold blood in the middle of a busy, working-class neighborhood within inches of a newborn baby is a threat to everyone, everywhere."

Police believe 50 to 100 people witnessed the shooting.

"This is a devastating situation and it is our hope that someone in the community knows or has information about who committed this crime," said Los Angeles police Assistant Chief James McDonnell.

Anyone who witnessed the shooting or may have information about the gunmen was asked to call detectives at (213) 485-2531 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. or (877) LAWFULL after-hours.

http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_261184623.html

Unread post by **Common Sense** » September 18th, 2007, 6:11 pm

Lot's of media hype about this case. This poor dumb kid is gonna have his arse handed to him when he is sentenced. If found guilty, he'll most likely get the death penalty. All over trying to tax some vendor selling DVD's. Now what sense does it all make?

Just yesterday, free as a bird, sleeping in his own bed, and he could come and go as he please's. Today-------Never, ever, ever going home, ever again. Dumb dumb just got out of school (I think???).

Unread post by **pistolslanga** » September 19th, 2007, 7:19 am

Common Sense wrote:Lot's of media hype about this case. This poor dumb kid is gonna have his arse handed to him when he is sentenced. If found guilty, he'll most likely get the death penalty. All over trying to tax some vendor selling DVD's. Now what sense does it all make?

Just yesterday, free as a bird, sleeping in his own bed, and he could come and go as he please's. Today-------Never, ever, ever going home, ever again. Dumb dumb just got out of school (I think???).

and how bout the baby, his first years of life...... and dead.

fukkin sad, but mess wont change...

Unread post by **Common Sense** » September 19th, 2007, 7:45 am

pistolslanga wrote:and how bout the baby, his first years of life...... and dead.

#%@& sad, but mess wont change...

More like first 3 weeks of life. The baby wasn't a month old. I kind of wonder why is he out in a stroller in the first place. Who knows, different situations for different people. I'm sure the shooter wasn't trying to kill a baby (well I hope not), but if your not a good shot, and you randomly shoot in your targets direction, you may cause an innocent casulty.

Unread post by **LcBwC** » September 19th, 2007, 9:49 am

People forget that once a bullet is fired its not stopping until it hits something...whether the target or not. I think people just think once they fire and it misses the bullet disappears. All for chump change...

Unread post by **Common Sense** » September 21st, 2007, 1:51 pm

LOS ANGELES – A 19-year-old reputed gang member was charged today with capital murder in Saturday’s fatal shooting of a 23-day-old baby in MacArthur Park, the District Attorney’s office announced.

Luis Silva, (dob X-XX-XXXX), also is charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of attempted extortion in case No. XXXXX, said Deputy District Attorney Peter Cagney, assistant head deputy of the Hardcore Gang Division.

Silva, a reputed 18th Street gang member, is charged with the fatal shooting of Luis Angel Garcia, the infant who was hit by a stray bullet about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, as his mother pushed his stroller. The complaint alleges the special circumstance that Silva committed the murder to further a criminal street gang, making him eligible for the death penalty. Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek the death penalty.

Prosecutors said gang members allegedly tried to extort money from outdoor vendors on Sept. 1 and one vendor refused to pay. Gang members allegedly returned to MacArthur Park Saturday and opened fire, striking one vendor at least twice. Silva also is being charged with three counts of attempted murder of the vendor, the baby’s mother and her fiance, who were in the area near 6th Street and Burlington Avenue when gunmen opened fire.

Police are still looking for additional suspects.

Silva is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Division XX. He is being held without bail.

red91 · Unread post by **red91** » September 25th, 2007, 11:23 pm

He deserves everything thats coming to his ass.

Unread post by **KINGFEAR62** » September 26th, 2007, 10:03 am

He better start snitching on everything his 18 st click does if he even wants the chance of getting a life term but I don't think the d.a will care if he wants to snitch he is gonna burn in hell that's for sure

Unread post by **HiloBoy** » September 26th, 2007, 11:38 am

Damn, in CA you motherlovers are some crazy ass sick mofo's

This guy here is a coward. We get alot of CA news here in the Islands because there are SOOOO many Californians here. But seeing and hearing sh_t like this makes people wonder about you west coasters. You mofo's need some "Aloha Spirit"

Unread post by **Christina Marie** » September 26th, 2007, 12:04 pm

23-day-old gang shooting victim is laid to rest

By Ari B. Bloomekatz, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
September 25, 2007

About a dozen people showed up at St. Vincent Catholic Church in South Los Angeles on Monday to console Luis Angel Garcia's mother, view the tiny casket holding her baby and hear the funeral Mass. It took only two pallbearers to carry the casket at the end of the 30-minute service.

Luis' death has reverberated throughout Los Angeles as city officials and residents try to make sense of how a 23-day-old baby became a victim of gang violence.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the slaying and its causes were a "top priority," and the Los Angeles Police Department initially devoted 20 detectives to the case.

Luis was shot dead 10 days ago near 6th Street and Burlington Avenue, near MacArthur Park. Three members of the 18th Street gang walked into a Saturday night crowd of hundreds and shot 37-year-old Francisco Clemente, a street vendor who reportedly refused to pay $50 in "rent" to the gang, authorities said. Clemente was hit by several bullets and was hospitalized in critical condition.

One bullet struck the infant, who was there with his mother. She has not been publicly identified.

"This little angel is now in heaven," said Father Ruben Restrepo, who presided over the Mass.

At times, Restrepo spoke directly to Luis' mother as if no one else were in the room, and told her that though violence claimed her son's life, prayer and good deeds could eventually overcome the tragedy.

She wore a white shawl over her head and wept as the casket was covered in white cloth, sprayed with holy water and then blessed with incense. A private burial followed.

The Rev. Howard Dotson, who organized a memorial service on 6th Street last week, was one of the pallbearers and hugged Luis' mother tightly at the end of the service.

"I can't even imagine what she must be going through," Dotson said in a previous interview.

Police arrested Luis Silva, 19, last week in connection with the killing and said they were seeking other suspects.

At least four officers attended the funeral. They asked residents near MacArthur Park to come forward with details of the shooting or any experiences with gang extortion.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/orang ... ons-orange

Unread post by **Christina Marie** » October 29th, 2007, 10:41 pm

October 29, 2007
Four Arrested Related to the Death of Infant

Los Angeles: Today the District Attorney announced the filing of murder charges in the death of a 23-day-old infant.

On September 15, 2007, shortly before 9:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to a shooting call in the 1800 block of West 6th Street. When the officers arrived, they found the lifeless body of a 23-day-old infant identified as Luis Garcia with a fatal gunshot to his chest. A second victim by the name of Francisco Clemente was also shot in the chest.

At the time of the shooting, Clemente was standing with his girlfriend selling items from his vendor business when a gunman walked up to him and shot him and the infant.

Several investigative teams from Robbery-Homicide Division and Rampart gang officers conducted numerous canvassing of the area, clue analysis, and countless follow-ups.

The investigation revealed that gang members had been targeting and extorting street vendors in the MacArthur Park area.

Detectives identified five suspects that were involved in this incident. One of the suspects, Luis Silva, was arrested and charged with multiple felony counts, including murder and attempted extortion. He remains in custody.

On October 24, 2007, Robbery -Homicide Detectives assisted by Metropolitan Division, 77th Street Gang Enforcement Detail and Operation South Bureau Gang Enforcement Detail served several search warrants in the City and one in the Palmdale area.

Four individuals were taken into custody and arrested on charges ranging from Murder, Attempted Murder, Extortion, Narcotics and Dissuading a Witness.

Luis Silva, aka "Clever" and Juan Pablo Murillo, aka "Face" were both charged by the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office with seven counts; one count of Murder, four counts of Attempted Murder, and two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Extortion. All are being held without bail.

Murrillo was also charged with five additional counts. One count of Dissuading a witness, one count of Sales of Cocaine Base, one count of Sales of Methamphetamine and one count of Possession of Cocaine for Sales.

Also charged were Cipriano Estrada, aka "Grumpy" and Stefani Brizuela, aka "Raven" with Dissuading a witness with a gang enhancement. Bail was set at $1,000,000.

Arrest warrants were issued for Giovanni Macedo, aka "Rusty", Juvenal Cardenas Mejia, aka "Atlas" and Guadalupe Torres Rangel, aka "Barrios" for the Murder, Attempted Murder, and Conspiracy to Commit Extortion.

http://lapdblog.typepad.com/lapd_blog/2 ... ted-r.html

Unread post by **necio** » November 1st, 2007, 10:10 am

thats some sad shit

Unread post by **Christina Marie** » November 1st, 2007, 3:57 pm

Second Man Pleads Not Guilty In Infant's Shooting Death

POSTED: 4:53 pm PDT October 31, 2007

LOS ANGELES -- A second man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a capital murder charge in the gang-related shooting death of a 3-week-old baby near MacArthur Park.

Juan Pablo Murillo, 31, is charged along with 19-year-old Luis Silva, in the Sept. 15 slaying of Luis Angel Garcia, who was struck by a stray bullet as his mother pushed his stroller.

Also charged in the killing are Giovanni Macedo, 18; Juvenal Cardenas Mejia, 34; and Guadalupe Torres Rangel, 40, who are still being sought by authorities.

The murder charge carries the special circumstance allegation that the slaying was carried out to further the activities of a criminal street gang. Prosecutors will decide later if they will seek the death penalty.

The criminal complaint alleges that Macedo "took out a gun and started shooting in the area of Sixth and Burlington, near MacArthur Park," killing the baby and critically wounding Francisco Clemente, a 37-year-old street vendor.

The complaint also alleges that Rangel and Mejia approached street vendors near MacArthur Park a week earlier and demanded money for the right to sell merchandise.

Murillo informed Mejia about a street vendor who refused to pay "taxes" or "rent," and Mejia told him that they would fix that "problem," the complaint alleges.

In addition to murder, the five defendants are charged with three counts of attempted murder and two counts of conspiracy.

One of the attempted murder charges involves Clemente, while the others pertain to the baby's mother and another person who were in the area near Sixth Street and Burlington Avenue when the gunfire erupted.

Silva, Mejia and Rangel are also charged with one count of attempted extortion of a vendor.

Murillo is additionally charged with one count of dissuading a witness by force or threat, along with four drug counts.

Murillo and Silva are due back at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse on Nov. 14.

http://www.knbc.com/news/14475451/detai ... a&psp=news

LOYALTY over LOVE · Unread post by **LOYALTY over LOVE** » November 1st, 2007, 4:06 pm

a fuckin baby murder? thats whats gangsta nowadays?

fools are ignorant.

Unread post by **necio** » November 2nd, 2007, 4:02 pm

the baby got hit with a stray bullet