Another Weekend in L.A.: Gang Violence and Death

The two sheriff’s sergeants and a deputy were doing what law officers often do in areas like Florence: talking about gangs. About 150 feet away in front of a house stood two men, said to be known gang members. A car cruised past and opened fire--first at the two men, then at the officers, two of whom are members of the sheriff’s anti-gang unit.

Stucco was the only casualty as the 1980 Dodge sped away after firing seven shots. The officers jumped in patrol cars and pursued the man, whom they identified as alleged gang member Angel Ernesto Ortega. Two miles and two more shots into the chase, authorities said, the suspect ran a red light on Florence Avenue at the Harbor Freeway on-ramp, struck a pickup truck and smashed into a curb.

None of the officers--Sgts. Robert Lindsey and Tommy Martinez and Deputy Tim Miley--were injured. Ortega, 19, of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. He was treated for cuts and a possible broken shoulder at the jail ward at County-USC Medical Center.

It was, after all, a weekend night in Los Angeles. Sporadic violence flickered throughout the city late Friday and early Saturday as jealousy over a new car resulted in the stabbing death of a a young woman, a man in a stolen car tried to run down an officer, gang members shot at other gang members, non-gang members and police. The driver of the stolen car was shot and killed by police.

In all, the ferocity claimed three lives and at least four wounded. A fourth victim died of wounds he received in a drive-by shooting on Thanksgiving.

The first reported death on Friday was that of an 18-year-old man, who had been shot in the head and dumped on scenic Mulholland Drive, about a half-mile east of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, police said. The man, an alleged gang member who was not identified, was found at about 9:50 p.m.

About two hours later, another common incident occurred. A man and a woman received minor injuries in a shooting in the Lennox area.

Five-Minute Chase

Shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday, officers tried to pull over a speeding 1986 Corvette on Crenshaw Boulevard near 8th Street. The driver refused. A five-minute chase over rain-slicked roads at speeds up to 60 m.p.h. followed.

At 83rd Street and Byrd Avenue, according to the account released by police, the car spun out.

One of the officers, neither of whom was identified, approached the car. The driver, as one officer put it, “went for it” and tried to run down the officer. Jumping aside, the officer fired through the windshield of the Corvette. His partner fired at the back window. The Corvette struck a parked car. Police identified the driver as Eric D. Anderson, 23, of Los Angeles; he died of a bullet wound to the abdomen.

Two Men Shot

About 2 a.m., two men were chased and shot by six reputed gang members near 54th Street and Compton Avenue. One was grazed in the head with a blast from a sawed-off shotgun, the other was wounded in the leg. Both victims, whose identities were withheld, were in stable condition at hospitals, police said.

The next death reported Saturday started with two muzzle flashes Thanksgiving night. Clifford Newell, 22, of Los Angeles, was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting Thursday night as he stood on the corner of Bandera and 88th streets, near his home. He died early Saturday.

Shortly before noon Saturday, police said Lajunese Tankersley, 20, was stabbed to death in her 28th Street apartment. Detective Richard Hoffman said her aunt, whose identity was not released, apparently stabbed Tankersley in an argument.

“The aunt was jealous of her and the new Nissan car she had just bought,” Hoffman said.