Local News in Brief : Man in Car Robbed, Slain; 3 Arrested

A juvenile and two 18-year-old companions were arrested early Monday in the slaying of a Los Angeles man during an apparent robbery in La Puente, sheriff’s deputies said.

The suspects shouted the name of a gang as they drove away, Deputy Roger Hom said.

Investigators said Javier Otero, 30, was sitting in a car with two friends about 11:30 p.m. Sunday when another automobile containing three teen-agers drew up alongside. One of the three, a 15-year-old boy, reportedly kicked in the driver’s window, demanded money and fired once with a sawed-off shotgun.

Otero died at the scene, but his two friends were not injured.

Deputies said they went to an area frequented by members of the gang, found the car believed used by the suspects and soon arrested the youth as well as Manuel Cervantes and Daniel Torres. All three were held for investigation of murder.

In a separate shooting believed to be gang-related, a 31-year-old woman was wounded late Sunday when two young men fired more than a dozen shots into a Southeast Los Angeles home she was visiting, police said. Cheryl Harris of Moreno Valley in Riverside County was in serious condition at Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center.

No suspects were in custody.