Shoichi Minesaki: North Hollywood Cyclist in His 20s Shot Dead by Possible Gang Members in White Van

By Simone Wilson Wed., Jun. 8 2011 at 2:00 PM

ABC7

The victim's downed bicycle

Update: The victim has been identified as 19-year-old Shoichi Joe Minesaki of Sylmar. Originally posted June 6 at 9 a.m.

Just after 1:30 a.m. this morning, a cyclist in his 20s was fatally gunned down in North Hollywood by a white van full of suspected gang members, City News Service reports.

Miraculously, the van was spotted by an L.A. County Sheriff's deputy directly after the shooting. Equally miraculous is the fact that all the drive-by suspects (four to six of them) were able to escape the deputy...

... and abandon the van several blocks east of the crime scene before LAPD officers could swoop in for an arrest.

The victim was riding along Laurel Canyon Boulevard near Valley Plaza Park and a local middle school when ABC7 reports that a van rolled up behind him, near Vanowen Street. The suspects then jumped out of the vehicle and shot the young man once in his upper torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

After being radio-ed by the sheriff's deputy, a LAPD helicopter spotted the getaway van involved in the murder a few blocks away, at Tyrone Avenue and Sherman Way:

View Larger Map

Police have been questioning neighbors about the murder all morning, and are also "investigating at a parking garage of an apartment building near where the shooting occurred." The full ABC7 report:

We'll update with the victim's name as soon as next-of-kin have been notified.

[@simone_electra/swilson@laweekly.com]

Tags:

bicycle, cyclists, drive-by, gang members, homicide investigation, North Hollywood, RIP

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Lightnapper

Last week LAPD had a sit-down with half of the 18 gangs invited to a community forum/parole check. Apparently, the other 8 or 9 gang organazations were previously engaged planning drive-bys or drug distributions. During the course of the meeting, LAPD representatives indirectly stated they'd start their own personal war with the gun wielding, shoot-ya-in-dey-back Vatos the very next time they engaged in said activity. "It will be like nothing you've ever seen," an LAPD Captain warned. So, when does this tough love begin? You have a “Green Light.” The good citizens of LA are waiting for some law enforcement activity beyond informing the victim's family their child is dead, and the public that yet another gang shooting has occurred. Statistically, The LA Homicide Report shows from 2007 until the present time-- if you are a Latino male, 18, and it's Saturday night, you are at the head of the list to be gunned down. When is the community going to get tired of losing sons and daughters and revolt against this gang mentality tyranny? Unleash the hounds.