Gang Shooting Kills One, Critically Injures Another

Los Angeles: A juvenile was shot and killed and a second man was critically injured, on Saturday night in a gang shooting in Southeast Los Angeles.

On August 18, 2007, around 10:35 p.m., Donta Daniel Bolden, 15, and Ryant August Alexander, 36, were standing near the intersection of 115th Street and Success Avenue.  An unknown number of suspects drove up in a blue Ford Taurus and shot both victims multiple times.  The suspects then sped away south on Success Avenue.

Bolden was rushed by paramedics to a local hospital, where he later died.  Alexander was also transported to the hospital where he remains in critical condition.

The motive for the crime appears to be gang related.  The suspect(s), vehicle and weapon remain outstanding.

Anyone with information is asked to call the South Bureau Criminal Gang Homicide Group, Detective Mark Castillo, at 213-485-1383, during normal business hours. After hours and on weekends, please phone the 24-hour Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAW-FULL (877-520-3855).

Comments

[Loves LA LEOs]

According to information I received Friday, the closing of King Drew Medical Center will eliminate a significant number of psych beds housing the criminally insane, releasing them to the community. Memphis PD has a program where a cadre of officers are trained to deal with this element. They work closely with other professionals in the mental health field. Any chance we can at least get some training and maybe some more effective equipment to officers so the officers don't get hurt? (Sorry, I know this is not gang related, but it is a South Bureau issue...)

[B&WOp;]

Loves LA LEOs wrote:

<<>>

The City of L.A. has had a similar program for a while now. Officers throughout the city go through training in mental health issues and receive a pin for their uniform shirt identifiying them as part of a mental health response team. Each patrol division has one or a few of these officers.

Additionally, the Mental Evaluation Unit, out of Parker Center, partners a mental health professional with a police officer and these SMART Team units respond to mental health-related calls all over the city. Their responses relieve patrol officers with being tied up with a mental patient for hours.

We're not too far behind other cities when it comes to new ideas.

[ron]

Good idea Leos. That would be an excellent idea. The officers might be able to find different ways of dealing with someone that is sick and in need of help without having to hurt the person they are trying to help.

[Camilla Cracchiolo, R..N.]

In my neighborhood (Country Club Park in Wilshire Div.) there have been 2 drive by murders in the last 2 months, but I see no LAPD statements about them. One was last Saturday 8/18 in the 1000 block of S.Norton Ave. Apparently 3 people were shot, one died.

I only know about it because the kids in the neighborhood made a little street shrine with candles and flowers.

Why is there no info about this, other than a note on the crime map that a homicide occurred? I find it very sad. A life taken surely deserves a mention. We should never treat murder as so routine that it goes by without mention.

More to the point, there are all kinds of rumors circulating: it was gang related, no, it was random and someone is just shooting the public, no, it was drugs, etc. The LAPD could help the neighborhood a lot if it would post something about this, just basic accurate info, protecting the family's privacy of course. It would also be good if we knew if the shooting 2 months ago was related.

My neighbor also got a bullet through her window 3 weeks ago. No one was hurt although it was scary. I tried to get her to tell the police, but she didn't report it, felt there was no point. If there was a notice, maybe she would feel more like the police would be interested and she would say something.

Perhaps you don't want to scare the residents, but gossip and rumors are worse and we have the right to know how dangerous our neighborhood is.

Is there anyone reading this who could perhaps put up an article or even just send the basic info in an email?

Thank you.

[JohnWayne]

To Camila,
The homicide your talking about on 8/18 on Norton and Country Club, is gang related. Apparently a car with male Hispanics drove by and shot several times into a residence where several males where standing around. This is a known gang hangout for the Mara Salvatrucha Gang.. The Male Hispanics who drove up where that of a rival gang BSE (Bronson Av). That night there were several people who saw the shooting but refused to give us any information. If you can help we would appreciate it..

[Loves LA LEOs]

B&W Ops, thank you for the information. Does SMART have a direct dial phone number, or do all 5150 calls have to go through dispatch?