LONG BEACH: Jacob Benavidez’s family, friends afraid after Tuesday’s shooting.
By Duke Rescola
Staff Writer
Posted: 08/20/2009 10:15:44 PM PDT

LONG BEACH – Feigned or genuine, youthful bravado is not enough to completely mask the terror gripping the Central Long Beach street where 15-year-old Jacob Benavidez was gunned down early Tuesday morning.

As the sun set Thursday over the 1100 block of East 16th Street, about 100 family members, friends and neighbors were still trying to come to grips with Benavidez’s violent death as they held a candlelight vigil near the site where he died.

“I miss his smile and his charisma,” said Jacob’s distraught father, Ross Benavidez. “He was a little player who liked girls and was passionate about handball. I would never wish this on my worst enemy.”

The Poly High School student was shot to death while talking to an 18-year-old female friend at about 12:30 a.m. An unidentified male walked up, made a comment, then opened fire on the teens.

Police refuse to release the woman’s name because she is both a victim and a witness.

The woman, still visibly shaken Thursday, said they never knew what hit them. “We’ve never seen the guy before,” she said. “He just walked up and said, `What’s up, homie?’ and started shooting.”

She said Benavidez at first staggered in one direction, then turned and stumbled about 50 feet down the
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driveway, “grasping his chest like he couldn’t breathe,” and collapsed.

Both victims were taken to St. Mary Medical Center where Benavidez was pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso. The woman, who was grazed in the chest by a bullet, was treated and released.

Friends and family described Benavidez as an outgoing, funny, intelligent teen who was always ready to lend anybody a hand with chores, yard work or home improvement.

“He was just a normal kid who never hurt anyone,” said Benavidez’s aunt, Connie Greene, a Lakewood resident. “This area is absolutely gang-infested. You can’t lock your kids up; (but you’re) afraid they’ll die in the front yard.”

Police spokeswoman Officer Jackie Bezart said Benavidez’s killing is being investigated as a possible gang-related shooting, although those who knew him said he had no gang affiliation.

Benavidez’s friend Jose Castro said, “He was an all-around good guy.” Castro, 15, said the shooting has left him terrified. “I’m afraid to come out at night now.”

Sixth District Councilman Dee Andrews – whose district includes the street where Benavidez was killed – said a large part of ongoing youth violence is perpetuated by the community’s fear to get involved.

“What if that was your child?” Andrews asked in a phone interview. “We just can’t afford to have somebody coming into our neighborhoods and killing children while we stand by and pretend we didn’t see anything.”

Compounding the family’s grief is that they can’t afford funeral expenses, Greene said.

Police are asking anybody with information about the shooting to contact either Homicide Detective Bryan McMahon or Detective Patrick O’Dowd at 562-570-7244.

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