Three Gang Related Murders Occur During a 30-Hour Period

Los Angeles: On Sunday, January 27, 2008, at around 1:00 p.m., 22-year-old Maurio Proctor was standing inside the Jordan Downs Public Housing Development on 101st Street with a friend. An unknown type vehicle drove by and an occupant inside began shooting towards Proctor and his friend. Proctor was struck by the gunfire and collapsed onto the sidewalk.

Proctor was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead as a result of his gunshot wounds. His friend suffered a gunshot wound to his hand. There was no suspect(s) or vehicle description, nor have any witnesses come forward with information. The motive for the shooting appears to be gang related.

Early next morning on January 28, 2008, at around 8:45 a.m., 19-year-old Van Knott was standing on the 700 block of East 97th Street with a friend when an unknown vehicle drove by and one of the occupants opened fire on the pair. Knott was struck several times in the chest. Knott was taken to an area hospital where he died a short time later. His friend was not injured. The motive for the shooting was gang related.

Later in the evening, at 9:30 p.m., an unknown number of suspects approached a clothing store at 9902 South Broadway. The suspects began firing into the store, striking three persons. One of the persons shot was 35-year-old Chontel Johnson, the storeowner. He was mortally wounded. The other two persons in the store were taken to local hospitals where they remain in stable condition as a result of their injuries.

Detectives believe the shootings may be related to a recent on-going gang conflict.

No witnesses have come forward on any of the three shootings. Detectives are seeking the public's assistance in solving these crimes.

Anyone with information is asked to call South Bureau Homicide Detective Sal LaBarbera at 213-485-4341. During off-hours or on weekends, call the 24-hour toll free number at the Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAWFULL (529-3855).

Comments

[Captain Kirk]

Gang homicide rate is up....Hmmmm, do you think those gang members know about the Financial Disclosure? I think they are smart enough to figure out that within 2 years, most of the experienced Gang Officers will opted out of the unit and the gang shootings will go up just like in the late 80's and early 90's. Do you think those responsible for the Consent Decree really care about it? My guess is "NO" because they don't live in those neighborhoods nor do they patrol there. Consent Decree is a tool for those people to gain power and money, not for a true reform of the Department. If they truly cared about reform, then they should trust the officers and punish ONLY those who betrayed the trust.

[Sara]

They reason crime rate is still rising is because the place are not taken down the real criminals. They mess with someone who has never sold, slang, bang or anything due to the fact they live in that neighborhood.
Criminals pictures, tattoo's are label in a book full of every member their is but yet they find a reason to mess with the innocent. If cops show that they want to earn the community trust then start protecting the innocent and arrest the guilty nothing more nothing less. Don't plant drugs in the vehicle or judge just do your job. "PROTECT AND SERVICE"...

[Blue]

Sara,

You are an ignorant fool.

Aside from ONE rotton apple (Perez) who has already been caught and punished (by honest officers, incidentally), the LAPD does not routinely "plant drugs" or otherwise frame innocent people.

99.9% of the officers out there are hard-working, honorable, fair, and do the right thing. On a daily basis we are willing to put our lives on the line, and sometimes do give up our lives (as recently proven) for complete strangers. We DO, in fact, arrest the guilty and protect the innocent every single day, to the very best of our abilities. To imply that we do otherwise is laughable.

Do the police sometimes stop people who are not "real criminals"? Of course--we have to investigate people first before we can determine whether or not they ARE actually involved in some type of criminal activity. Unless, of course, you believe we can somehow divinely intuit who the "real" bad guys are just by looking at them? (That's called racial profiling, by the way, and that's not something we practice either).

Or, maybe we should just arrest random people based on dubious anonymous tips without any kind of investigating first?

Tell me, Sara, since you obviously have strong ideas about the subject, how would YOU go about finding and arresting "real criminals"?

I believe you mentioned some gibberish about criminals and tattoos being listed in some mythic "book." (It's hard to tell what you were trying to say, since your post was so riddled with grammatical horrors).

Hmmm...yes, there are some criminals who are listed in organized files, mostly gang members in gang books or injuction files. But, gee, how did they get there in the first place Sara? Did they just get magicked into this epic "book" of "real criminals" of yours, or did some officer have to actually stop and investigate these people first? This means asking tough questions, searching people and their cars, etc. (This is what you call "messing" with people, I believe).

I believe it's YOU who should stop judging something you obviously know nothing about. Stop believing everything you see on TV, and go back to school to improve your atrocious English skills.