The Long Beach Police Department is asking for the public’s help in solving the murder of a 17-year-old girl last month.
Briana Soto was fatally shot on March 26 around 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of 11th Street and Lewis Avenue, police said in the days following the attack.
Police said Soto was speaking with her mother on the phone as she was walking home after working at McDonald’s. She was just steps away from her house on E. 11th St. near Lewis Avenue when the suspect shot her.
The teen’s family heard the gunshots outside. Soto was rushed to the hospital where she died three days later.
“It was her siblings who found her with their mother, so I couldn’t even imagine what they had to go through seeing her on the ground like that,” said Michelle Fierro, a neighbor.
On Tuesday, police released footage of the suspected shooter walking near where Soto was shot.
Briana Soto, 17, seen in a family photo. 
The Long Beach Police Department released surveillance footage of the suspected shooter in a March 26, 2024, murder. 
The Long Beach Police Department released surveillance footage of the suspected shooter in a March 26, 2024, murder. 
The street where Briana Soto was fatally shot on March 26, 2024, (KTLA) 
Briana Soto, 17, seen in a family photo. 
The Long Beach Police Department released surveillance footage of the suspected shooter in a March 26, 2024, murder. 
The Long Beach Police Department released surveillance footage of the suspected shooter in a March 26, 2024, murder.
The dark-clad male was spotted on several security cameras in the area around the time of the shooting, though a mask covered his face. Moments after the murder, the suspect ran away and was seen removing pieces of his clothing, police said.
Loved ones are still shocked over Soto’s death, remembering the teenager as a kind and lively spirit.
“We all know her,” said Angel Guevara, the victim’s neighbor. “She was just a sweet girl. When I heard she died, I was very sad.”
“It kind of made me self-aware,” said Fierro. “I’m around her age. She was about to graduate high school, so I feel that her story really impacted everyone around us.”
Soto’s friends, neighbors and loved ones want justice for the teen and are hoping the suspect is caught soon.
“He deserves punishment because he took a daughter,” Fierro said. “He took someone’s life.”
“Someone undoubtedly knows this suspect or recognizes the individual in the video,” said Long Beach police chief Wally Hebeish. “Someone might even recall a person who was acting strange or unusual the night of March 26. We’re not going to stop investigating this crime until we find the person responsible for taking Briana’s life.”
Anyone with information can contact Homicide Detectives Ethan Shear or Chasen Contreras at 562-570-7244.
Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or at lacrimestoppers.org.
