A family remains devastated after a young man was fatally stabbed on a Metro train in South Los Angeles earlier this week.
The victim, Jalil Sosa Illera, 27, was onboard when, during a verbal altercation, he was stabbed multiple times by a suspect, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Illera later died from his injuries at the hospital.
His mother, Brigitte Rangel, recalls the last conversation she had with her son before he was murdered.
“I said, ‘Okay, enjoy. I love you. I’ll talk to you later,’” Rangel recalls. “He goes, ‘All right, Mommy.’ Then 15 minutes later, [the stabbing] happened.”
One of five children, Illera’s family from New York is struggling to cope with the devastating loss.
“My son was a beautiful person, inside and out,” Rangel said. “He’s very talented musically. He would design. He was a designer since the age of 15.”
The deadly attack happened on Tuesday as Illera boarded a Metro E-Line train from the LATTC/Ortho Institute Station in South Central just before 4 p.m.
After the stabbing, Illera was able to drive himself home. He called the police and was transported to the hospital by paramedics. He later died from his injuries.
The suspect fled the scene before police could arrive. Surveillance video captured images of the suspect walking on the train platform.
Early Thursday morning, the suspect, Carlos Carrillo-Martinez, 19, turned himself in to the police.
“Carrillo-Martinez admitted being the suspect on the flyer and was interviewed by detectives,” said LAPD.
“I’m thankful he turned himself in,” Rangel said. “He has to face the consequences of taking my son’s life. Justice has to be done.”
Following news of the deadly attack, some residents said they remain fearful when riding public transit.
“I’ve seen a machete sitting out here one day,” a rider told KTLA. “So you have to kind of keep your eye out, you know?”
New crime data shows aggravated assaults reported by Metro have increased more than 70 percent from January through May of 2023, compared to the same time in 2019.
Although deadly incidents have increased from the pre-pandemic years, authorities still note such incidents are rare.
For Illera’s family, the tragic loss of a beloved son, brother and friend is more than just a statistic as they grieve their immense loss.
“He had many years to go,” Rangel said. “It was too short for his life. He had so much more to give this world and it’s sad this person took my son’s life away.”
The suspect, Carrillo-Martinez, was booked for murder following an interview with the LAPD. He is being held on $2 million bail.