Murder Case Brings Neighbors Together

Responding to a murder on their street last month, residents of the 300 block of S. Harvard Boulevard and nearby streets are joining to overcome the fear and isolation that have gripped the neighborhood.

About 30 neighbors and Assemblyman-elect Louis Caldera of the 46th District gathered last Sunday in front of an apartment building at 320 S. Harvard Blvd., where on Oct. 11, Young Nam Lee, 51, was shot in the face and killed. Police said the two assailants approached Lee as he parked his car, took his car stereo and murdered him.

“It’s unfortunate that a tragedy is the impetus to get us together, but maybe this man didn’t die in vain,” said Sue Welsh, a resident of the block for 35 years and the organizer of the gathering.

Police said a witness has provided a description of the killers, but there were no arrests in the murder as of last week.

After talking about the history of the block, residents discussed ideas for working together to increase neighborhood safety.

“An act of violence like this takes away from each of us a little of our humanity,” Caldera said. “The kind of activities talked about today--walking together, sing-alongs, neighborhood cleanups, tutoring for children--are the kinds of things we need to foster in our communities.”

With the help of the Korean Youth Center, Welsh prepared flyers about the gathering in Korean, Spanish and English, reflecting some of the languages spoken on the block.

“There’s a void between what’s happening with the Rebuild L.A. effort and what’s happening on the neighborhood level,” Welsh said. “There are things we can do now to help people in our neighborhood, to learn who our neighbors are. Maybe out of these things new voices and leadership will emerge.”