Infant slain by stray bullet is mourned (12 Angelenos show up to funeral)

LA Times ^ | 9/24/07 | Ari B. Bloomekatz, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

[BurbankKarl]

About a dozen people showed up at St. Vincent Catholic Church in South Los Angeles to console Luis Angel Garcia's mother, view the tiny casket holding her baby and hear the funeral Mass.

It took only two pallbearers to carry the casket at the end of the 30-minute service.

But Luis' death has reverberated throughout Los Angeles as city officials and residents try to make sense of how a 23-day-old baby could be a victim of gang violence. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the slaying and its causes were a "top priority," and the Los Angeles Police Department initially devoted 20 detectives to the case.

Luis was shot dead 10 days ago near the intersection of 6th Street and Burlington Avenue, near MacArthur Park. Authorities said three members of the 18th Street gang walked into a crowd of hundreds on a Saturday night and shot 37-year-old Francisco Clemente, a street vendor who reportedly refused to pay $50 in "rent" to the gang.

One bullet struck the infant, who was there with his mother, who has not been publicly identified.

[an amused spectator]

I think we should pull the troops out of Los Angeles.

BRING THEM HOME!

[BurbankKarl]

Funny the Mayor and City Council person (Reyes) couldnt find 30 minutes in their day....they both held press conferences about this crime.

[VOA]

But Luis' death has reverberated throughout Los Angeles as city
officials and residents try to make sense of how a 23-day-old
baby could be a victim of gang violence.

If that is hard to believe...that just shows how many STUPID
and/or DISINGENUOUS folks are still in LA.
(Including the reporters of The Los Angeles Times)

During my 10 years in LA, there were at least a couple of stories of
total innocents dying from gang-banger's stray rounds.
IIRC, there was one case of a mother, holding her infant;
one stray shot...two kills.

While in LA, I mused that maybe the local authorities should
require all gang-bangers to take marksmanship classes with the NRA.

In order to reduce the collateral damage.

[AuntB]

These gangs kill their own kind, and still they won’t root out the criminals in their ‘hoods’. The mayors idea of getting rid of gangs is pouring more money so they ‘feel good about themselves’.

[Myrddin]

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the slaying and its causes were a "top priority," and the Los Angeles Police Department initially devoted 20 detectives to the case.

Illegal aliens and gang bangers. The mayor is a bonehead. He understands the problem...and actively encourages all the policies that ensure it continues and flourishes.

[Myrddin]

These gangs kill their own kind, and still they won’t root out the criminals in their ‘hoods’.

That's probably why the mother wasn't identified. She's probably an illegal. Probably associated with a rival gang. They're playing by the "no snitch" rule...to avoid more funerals.

[VOA]

“I think we should pull the troops out of Los Angeles.”

You must be in Mexico City (or other points south).
Because the vast bulk of the “occupying forces” in LA made their attack
across what is called the southern border of the USA!

(I’m being facetious...just a little bit)

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

A 12 year old girl (Minneapolis) is fighting for her life tonight after being shot in the head over the weekend. She was on her front porch after a birthday party for her brother. Some POS started shooting from out of nowhere and she was standing in the wrong place.

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S204870.shtml?cat=1

[beaversmom]

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the slaying and its causes were a "top priority," and the Los Angeles Police Department initially devoted 20 detectives to the case.

Haven't the police pretty much be neutered?

[beaversmom]

More money for yute centers and afterschool programs /sarc.

[isrul]

Might just as well. They certainly aren't doing anything to exterminate the knuckle dragging, sub human, gang banging scum.

[BurbankKarl]

Yes, an illegal alien gang member killing an anchor baby.

The Mayor and Councilman Reyes spent more time on their own press conferences, and didnt attend a 30 minute funeral.

[AuntB]

More money for yute centers and afterschool programs /sarc.

That's right. AG Alberto Gonzales said the gang bangers were just 'misunderstood' and needed a 'chance'.

[AuntB]

More money for yute centers and afterschool programs /sarc.

That's right. AG Alberto Gonzales said the gang bangers were just 'misunderstood' and needed a 'chance'.

[Brilliant]

The bullet did it.

[ought-six]

I hate to see a little kid get hurt, but this is the norm in communities where Mexican gangs are prevalent. Such incidents are common occurrences.

[William Tell]

From the article: "... shot 37-year-old Francisco Clemente, a street vendor who reportedly refused to pay $50 in "rent" to the gang. "

I think the author meant to write, "an OFFICIALLY DISARMED street vendor". Imagine the tragedy if the street vendor had been able to shoot back. Or, horror of horrors, shoot the criminals as they originally attempted to extort money from him.

[KingofZion]

Tragically, this is the norm in many poor urban neighborhoods, not just one ethnic group.

Nice to see the hypocritical liberal politicos paying lip service to their constituents, while at the same time failing to provide adequate police protection.

The gangs need to shut down. It may require bringing back some national guard troops from Iraq...

[absalom01]

...adequate police protection.

You could put a cop on every corner in that neighborhood, and not stop this stuff.

Just some average blokes doin' the killin' that citizen's refuse to do...