Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of a suspect or suspects involved in a shooting that left an innocent father of three paralyzed from the waist down earlier this year.
The violence unfolded at a swap meet in the 700 block of South Alvarado Street in L.A.’s Westlake neighborhood on April 16, police said.
Authorities say the suspect’s vehicle, a silver four-door Toyota Camry with two distinct dents on its passenger side, had parked alongside the victim’s vehicle with his three underage children inside.
At some point the father, who has not been identified, noticed an argument between two females near his vehicle.
Worried about his children’s safety, he walked back to his car. As he stood between his vehicle and the Camry, the back window of the suspect’s vehicle came down and the victim saw a gun pointed directly at him.
“Afraid that his children could possibly be caught in the crossfire, he retreats back toward the sidewalk,” LAPD said at a Thursday press conference. “As he’s walking toward the sidewalk, he hears the gunshot, feels the burning sensation and collapses on the sidewalk.
As the shooting suspects fled the area in the Camry, the victim’s wife and other witnesses called 911.
Police are also searching for a man and a woman, described only as persons of interest, that they believe could shed light on the tragic shooting.
“The victim was unable to see who shot [him]. He just saw the handgun,” police said. “We don’t know if they were involved or if they were witnesses, but we know for a fact that they were in the immediate area where the shooting happened.”
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Officer Marroquin at 213-484-3670.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.org.