Woman shot to death on Highland Park street corner is identified
A woman who was shot to death while standing on a street corner in Highland Park on Wednesday afternoon was identified by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office Thursday as 23-year-old Jessica Andrea Rocha.
Rocha was standing near North Avenue 56 and Monte Vista Street shortly before 11 a.m. when a person walked up and shot her, according to the coroner’s office and Det. Martee Miyakawa with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Northeast Division.
Rocha was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, said Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. An autopsy was pending, Winter said.
Police believe that there may have been a short conversation between Rocha and her assailant before she was shot, but it’s unknown what was said.
Witnesses told police that two people ran away toward train tracks in the area, Miyakawa said.
The woman was a former resident of the neighborhood, Miyakawa said.
Police believe the victim had gang ties and that’s why she was shot.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Northeast Division detective’s desk at (323) 561-3421. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
For more crime news, follow @nicolesantacruz on Twitter.
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