Three Killed in Three Days in LA Harbor

The Los Angeles Police Department Harbor Division responded to three homicide reports within three days. This makes for a total of 14 homicides in Harbor Division in 2020 so far. In 2029 at this time, there were 16.

On the evening of Oct. 24, a man was fatally shot in the head when he stepped onto a dirt road outside his home near Quay Avenue and East Anaheim Street in Wilmington, said Capt. Jay Mastick of the LAPD Harbor Division. The incident took place after the victim had an argument with his mother, whom he lived with in an RV. Mastick said the shooter might have been his mother or one of the neighbors, or someone else entirely.

On Oct. 25, a 23-year-old woman was stabbed multiple times near the San Pedro Overlook Community Center on the 3600 block of South Gaffey Street, after she and the man she’d come with had a confrontation with another group. She was rushed to Harbor UCLA Medical Center, where she died. Mastick said the suspects might be gang members, but he did not believe her stabbing was related to gang activity.

On Oct. 26, two members of the Rancho San Pedro gang were shot on the 200 block of West 1st Street in downtown San Pedro. One man died and the other is recovering. Mastick said that this shooting was definitely gang-related.

Mastick said that three homicides in three days were unusual in such a small amount of time for the Harbor Division. He said the three homicides are not connected and that he is confident the division would solve them.

These homicides came on the tail of six shootings in San Pedro that took place from Sept. 20 to Oct. 17, said Officer Maligi Nua Jr. at the Oct. 20 meeting of the Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council. Mastick said that the three homicides from Oct. 24 to 26 are not related to them.

The first shooting Nua mentioned was an officer involved shooting at Harbor Division Station on Sept. 29, which means an officer fired his or her weapon. In this case, the gun was fired by Sgt. Robin Aguire, who was the on-duty assistant watch commander. Aguire fired at a suspect named Jose Guzman, but did not hit him. Guzman had just allegedly assaulted Officer Anthony Freeman. Guzman punched and tackled Freeman, then stole Freeman’s gun and hit him in the head with it repeatedly, officials said. Guzman fled the station but was caught that night by other officers at Pacific Avenue and 17th Street.

The second shooting took place at 1001 S. Palos Verdes St., where an unknown suspect tried to shoot one car, but instead hit another car with two people in it, Nua said. No one was hit.

The third shooting was at 441 N. Centre St. Two suspects came from an alley and fired into a group, hitting two victims.

The fourth was a shooting in the back parking lot of the Vagabond Motel at 215 S. Gaffey St. on Oct. 1. There were multiple suspects, but they did not hit anyone. Harbor Division’s gang investigative unit is still working on this case, Nua said.

The fifth was at a housing development at 207 W. Santa Cruz St., where one person was shot. Nua said that while the suspects have not been identified, the police have information that could lead to their identification. The gang investigative unit is working on this case.

The sixth was in the 400 block of West O’Farrell Street. A 16-year-old was shot while on his bike going westbound on O’Farrell from Mesa Street.

“I spoke to that victim, he was doing fine,” Nua said.

In addition, there was an incident of domestic violence at Oliver and Centre streets, where the suspect brandished a handgun, Nua said. However, no shots were fired.

Nua said he expected three of the six shootings were gang-related, but stressed that this was just his opinion after speaking to gang investigators. He said that it could be related to the Rancho San Pedro gang, and some of the groups within it.

Based on information from gang investigators, the department does not believe any of these shootings are related to recent shootings in Wilmington.

“That’s just an ongoing suspicion when it comes down to gang crime in both areas,” Nua said. Nua said that Wilmington recently had four shootings, and from the investigations of these shootings, the police have recovered six handguns. However, there have not been any arrests or recovered guns from any of the mentioned shootings, except for Guzman, who was arrested.

Despite the recent crimes, San Pedro is actually down by 12.7% in Part 1 crimes in general for 2020 when compared to the previous year. Part 1 crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and vehicle theft. Burglaries are down by 50%, burglaries and thefts from vehicles were down by 25%, and grand theft autos increased slightly.

In the area within the boundaries of the Central San Pedro Neighborhood Council, the numbers look even better. Part 1 crimes are down by 30%, violent crimes are down by 40%, and property crime is down by 24%, Nua said.

Nua said that within the council’s boundaries there were 25 incidents of aggravated assaults during September 2020. These do not always involve weapons.

“When we speak of assaults, we’re not talking solely about shootings. We’re talking about domestic violence and just simple assaults that are out on the streets,” Nua said.

In addition, property crimes within the council’s boundaries were down 45% in September 2020, compared to September 2019, Nua said. Grand theft auto was down by 20%, and burglaries and thefts from vehicles were down by 22%.