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Nicole Zuniga: Teen Killed in Glassell Park Shooting

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Google Maps
Verdugo Road.
An 18-year-old identified as Nicole Zuniga was killed in a Glassell Park shooting that put a 21-year-old companion in a hospital in critical condition, authorities said.

The attack last night doesn't appear to be gang related so far, and the area is neutral turf, LAPD Lt. David Kowalski told the Weekly. The notorious and deadly Avenues Gang ruled Drew Street a few blocks to the north, but Kowalski said reports of an insurgency by rival sets are exaggerated, he said.

The shooting happened ...

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"Porn Machete Murder" -- L.A. Weekly Story Now Airing on Investigation Discovery

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illustration by Matt Mahurin
When it comes to headlines, it's hard to top the one that ran on the L.A. Weekly's cover Feb. 24, 2011: "Porn Machete Murder."

But really, what better title for the true tale of low-level porn actor Stephen Hill -- a "mope," in industry parlance -- who attacked his coworkers with a Japanese sword, then held the LAPD at bay for nearly eight hours by brandishing the same sword and threatening to kill himself? When the police finally moved in with tasers and bean-bags, Hill threw himself off the edge of a cliff, tumbling more than 30 feet to his death.

Hill's violent rampage left a studio manager wounded and a fellow mope -- Chinese-born Herbert Wong, aka Tom Dong -- dead.


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Jerry Schneiderman: The Rabble Rouser You've Never Heard About but Should Know

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Jerry Schneiderman
Jerry Schneiderman was not your ordinary real estate developer. For years, he was a rabble rouser who took on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority after tunneling for the Red Line subway collapsed parts of Hollywood Boulevard.

"You can never stop a government public works project entirely," Schneiderman told me last summer for the L.A. Weekly cover story "Beverly Hills Versus the Westside Subway." But "you can starve it."

Schneiderman died in December 2011, but years earlier, in 1979, his business partner had been murdered by a hit man. Schneiderman was never the same, and was always on the lookout for his own safety. Los Angeles journalist Chip Jacobs has written a gripping book about Schneiderman's story -- The Ascension of Jerry -- which took years to research and write. Jacobs and I recently talked about Schneiderman, who struck up a friendly working relationship with me back in the late 1990s...

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David Valle, L.A. Homicide No. 53: Teenager Shot and Killed in Panorama City

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Google Maps
The street where David Valle was killed
David Valle, a 17-year-old Latino boy, was fatally shot on March 6 in the 8300 block of North Willis Avenue.

Valle was walking along the residential street on the western edge of Panorama City when he was shot at 8:30 p.m., said Ed Winters of the coroner's office.

Paramedics arrived shortly after and the victim was driven to a Mission Hills hospital.


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Narda Huerta, L.A. Homicide No. 52: Woman Stabbed to Death by Alleged Boyfriend; Sons Tried to Save Her

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Los Angeles Times
Narda Huerta
Her sons pulled the stabber off her and wrestled him to the ground, but Narda Huerta was already seeping blood from her neck. It was just past midnight on March 6 in a residence on the 2800 block of Fairmont Street in Boyle Heights when the 48-year-old Latina women was stabbed.

Huerta's boyfriend was visiting her home, when the two got into an argument that ended with the suspect allegedly stabbing her in the neck.

According to LAPD officials, Huerta's two sons pinned the suspect to the ground. When police arrived, a larger group of men were holding down the man.

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Tony Argon, L.A. Homicide No. 51: Teenager Shot Dead After Pulling a Knife on Alleged Shooter

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Los Angeles Times
Tony Argon
Tony Argon, an 18-year-old Latino boy, was shot in the chest in the 4300 block of South Ascot Avenue on March 5.

Around 8:30 p.m., Argon starting yelling with the suspect and at one point brought out a knife. That is when the shooter pulled out a gun and fired it upon Argon multiple times, said Ed Winter of the coroner's office.

The victim was taken to County-USC Medical center and died at 9:30 p.m., an hour after the initial altercation.

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Bobby Jones, L.A. Homicide No. 50: Man Fatally Shot in Chest After Fight

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Google Maps
The street where Bobby Jones was killed
On March 4, Bobby Jones died of a gunshot wound in the 4100 block of Palmwood Drive in Crenshaw. The 28-year-old black man got into an argument with the alleged shooter in the street of a residential neighborhood.

Jones was then shot in the chest, according to coroner's records.

The Los Angeles Times reported that he was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he succumbed to his wounds around 4:30 p.m.


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Roger Christopher Williams, L.A. Homicide No. 49: Man Fatally Shot by Police After Screaming and Waving Gun at Officers

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Los Angeles Times
Roger Christopher Williams
On March 3, LAPD officers shot Roger Christopher Williams on the corner of Raymond and Florence avenuesin south L.A. Williams, a 41-year-old black man, drove his car up and started cursing at the officers, who were on assigned crime suspension detail and had stopped a pedestrian. He continued to yell obscenities as he exited the car while waving a semi-automatic handgun.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Williams then placed the gun on the roof of his car, which allowed the officer in the passenger seat of the station car to grab a rifle.

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Christina Salazar, L.A. Homicide No. 48: Teen Girl Shot Dead in Back by Neighbors

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Courtesy of Cynthia Secrest
Christina Salazar
Christina Salazar, a 17-year-old Latina girl, was shot in the back near USC on March 2.

According to an anonymous cousin's email obtained by Simone Wilson of the Weekly, Salazar stumbled over to the driveway of the cousin's apartment after being shot on the corner of Maple Avenue and East Adams Boulevard. Paramedics stationed at a convalescent home across the street saw that Salazar was hurt and rushed over to try to resuscitate her.

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Rodrick Brumfield, L.A. Homicide No. 47: Man Found Shot Dead in South Park Apartment

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Los Angeles Times
Rodrick Brumfield
A 44-year-old black man, Rodrick Brumfield, was fatally shot on March 1. LAPD responded to a call reporting gunfire at 10:20 p.m. and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds in an upstairs residence in the 5300 block of South Broadway.

After police officers discovered the body, Brumfield was pronounced dead at the scene. Coroner's records show that he was shot in the chest and in the face.

Witnesses described two or more black male assailants running from the scene.

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Kevin Hirtle, L.A. Homicide No. 46: Homeless Man Stabbed to Death by Fellow Transient on Venice Boardwalk

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Los Angeles Times
Kevin Hirtle
On February 24, Kevin Hirtle, a 38-year-old homeless white man, was stabbed to death after an altercation with another homeless man on the corner of Ocean Front Walk and East Westminster Avenue.

The alleged stabber, 23-year-old white man Billy Young, got into a fight with Hirtle around 6:10 p.m. He then knifed the victim eight or nine times and fled the scene, according to the LAPD.

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Roberto Herrera, L.A. Homicide No. 45: Teacher Fatally Shot by Student in Class After Argument

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Los Angeles Times
Roberto Herrera
Just before 4 p.m. on February 23, student Law Thien Huynh stormed out of a training class for potential security guards after an argument with his teacher, said witnesses. He returned moments later, pointing a pistol at the teacher, 43-year-old Latino man Roberto Herrera.

He shot Herrera multiple times, including a shot to the head, according to the LAPD. Huynh then dropped the gun in the classroom, walked outside and smoked a cigarette in the 1300 block of South Hill Street.

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Roberto Sanchez, L.A. Homicide No. 44: Teen Killed in Walk-Up Shooting in Westlake

Google Maps
The corner where Roberto Sanchez was killed
13-year-old Latino boy Roberto Sanchez was shot dead on the corner of Temple Street and Benton Way on the evening of February 21.

LAPD said that Sanchez and two other teenage boys were standing on the corner when several men drove up and exited a car.

One or more of the men opened fire on the group of teens. The Los Angeles Times reported that witnesses then saw the victim drop to the concrete.

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Saray Rivas, L.A. Homicide No. 43: Teen Girl Found Dead 12 Hours After Shooting; Residents Were Afraid to Talk

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Los Angeles Times
Puddle of blood remained days after Saray Rivas' murder
By Ryan Deto

No one at the apartment complex in the 1300 block of 3rd Avenue called the cops after they heard gunshots. Saray Rivas, a 15-year-old Latina girl, lay in a puddle of blood for 12 hours until the renter of the apartment, Maria Elena, returned home on February 21. Upon discovering the body, Elena walked to a local police station and informed the authorities.

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Avery Dean, L.A. Homicide No. 42: 22-Year-Old Man Shot Dead While Sitting in Car

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Los Angeles Times
Avery "Ton Ton" Dean
By Ryan Deto

A group of friends, including 22-year-old Avery Dean, piled into a car on the 11400 block of South Vermont Avenue in the early morning of February 20. Dean, known affectionately by his friends as "Ton Ton," was in the driver's seat.

At 1:18 a.m. bullets flew into the car, according to LAPD officials. Coroner's reports show that Dean was shot in the head. His friends moved him to the back seat and started to drive around looking for a hospital.

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Jewell King, L.A. Homicide No. 41: Woman Shot and Killed Near South L.A. Overpass

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Los Angeles Times
Jewell King
By Ryan Deto

On February 19, Jewell King was fatally shot in the 11600 block of South Main Street in Broadway-Manchester.

Gunshots were reported to the LAPD at 9:45 p.m. and the 54-year-old black women was found a short time later in the street suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest and arm, according to coroner's records.

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David McMahon, L.A. Homicide No. 40: Suspected Prowler Shot Dead by Police in East Hollywood

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Los Angeles Times
A handgun lies on the sidewalk at the crime scene
By Ryan Deto

Around 9:50 a.m. on February 19, LAPD officers responded to report of a prowler in East Hollywood. After spotting the suspect, 49-year-old white David McMahon, three officers chased him north on Westmoreland Avenue and then right on Fountain Avenue.

During the chase the officers said they saw McMahon bring out a handgun. They shot the suspect several times and he died near the 4600 block of Fountain Avenue, across the street from Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.

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Jose Roman, L.A. Homicide No. 39: Teenager Fatally Shot in Back Near Port High School

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Google Maps
The street where Jose Roman was killed
By Ryan Deto

On February 13, Jose Roman was shot dead near the corner of West 1st and South Palos Verdes streets, just a couple hundred yards from Port of Los Angeles High School.

LAPD officers, after responding to reports of gunfire, discovered the 18-year-old Latino around 6 p.m. suffering with gunshot wounds in his back.

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Diego Garcia, Alfonso Nava, L.A. Homicides No. 37, No. 38: Two Men Shot Dead in Front of Friend's Residence in Exposition Park

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Los Angeles Times
Diego Garcia
By Ryan Deto

Two close friends, 25-year-old Latino Diego Garcia and 26-year-old Latino Alfonso Nava, were coming home from a party in the early morning of February 13 when they were shot and killed in the 1800 block of Leighton Avenue.

Both were standing outside their friend's house when two suspects, described in LAPD reports as black men in their 20s, approached the victims.

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Jubal Guevara-Trinidad, L.A. Homicide No. 36: Man Killed After Being Struck Repeatedly by Car in South-Central

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Google Maps
The street near where Jubal Guevara-Trinidad was killed
By Ryan Deto

In the early hours of February 13, 55-year-old Latino Jubal Guevara-Trinidad died after being hit by a car in the 100 block of East 43rd Street.

The coroner's records showed that Guevara-Trinidad was struck multiple times by a vehicle and then was dragged along ground.

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