Local News in Brief : Slaying Suspect Cleared

Authorities have released a Baldwin Park youth who was arrested Monday on murder charges stemming from last weekend’s drive-by killing of a Cerritos teen-ager.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said investigators arrested the 16-year-old after he lied to them about several matters, including his presence at the Cerritos birthday party at which Tina Kang, 15, was shot. But further questioning revealed that he “had nothing to do with the murder,” Deputy Bob Nimtz said.

Police are continuing their search for two suspected gang members they believe fired three shots as they drove by a crowd of party-goers standing on the front lawn of an Indian Creek Road house, fatally wounding Tina.