Mourners Pay Last Respects to Slain Basketball Player

While Davy Fortson was best known for his basketball achievements at Santa Monica College and Dorsey High School, some of those mourning his death spoke last week about his smile.

“I used to get mad at Davy,” Santa Monica Coach Marvin Menzies said during a memorial service at the community college Thursday. “He would test my patience. But he could always wipe it away with one smile.”

Fortson’s smile could not overcome the hurt shared by more than 800 family and friends who attended funeral services for him Friday at Figueroa Church of Christ in South-Central. Fortson, 19, was gunned down at a Santa Monica hamburger stand on Feb. 17, less than an hour after his college team won a conference title.

“I see people holding back tears,” Menzies said at Friday’s gathering. “You shouldn’t. This is the time to grieve and share our love for Davy.”

The Rev. Vincent Hawkins told mourners, “What we are witnessing here is another chapter of tragedy. . . . People say keep the peace, but no sooner than the words leave our mouths, another life is taken. It must stop, and it must stop with us.”

Ariana Kirk struggled to read a poem she wrote for her boyfriend. She later collapsed and cried on Fortson’s coffin at Inglewood Park Cemetary.

On the night of his death, Fortson scored 23 points to lead Santa Monica to victory over Glendale College and a Western State Conference title. After the game, he and some companions were at Tommy’s World Famous Hamburgers at Lincoln and Pico boulevards when they were confronted by several Latino youths, police said. A fight ensued and a 16-year-old boy allegedly shot Fortson once in the chest.

The suspected gunman was arrested on suspicion of murder a day later and arraigned Thursday in Juvenile Court. A hearing April 20 is to determine whether he will be tried as an adult.

On Monday, 19-year-old Miguel Chavez, who police allege helped cause the deadly encounter, was arrested on suspicion of murder. He faces arraignment March 8.

Fortson’s cousin, Robert Ross, 21, was with him the night he died. Ross said that while Fortson and a friend ordered food and grabbed a table, he saw a group of teen-agers enter from the restaurant’s back door. “What’s up? Where are you guys from?” the youths asked, according to Ross.

Certain the group wanted a fight, Ross said he and others, including friend Otis Allen, 21, tried to deflect the questions. Allen said he warned the others that the youths were armed.

“I said, ‘They got heat, They got heat. Chill out,’ ” Allen said. “I hadn’t seen a gun but I knew they wouldn’t approach us like that if they didn’t have a gun.” A fistfight erupted, Allen said, and one of the attackers pulled out a revolver. A shot was fired and everyone, including Fortson, fled from the restaurant. But Fortson collapsed after running only a few feet.

“I walked over to the concrete and he was face down,” said Ross. “I grabbed his hand and reassured him.”

But, Ross said, “Davy started shaking violently.” Then, he added, “He stopped.”

“(A) tear dropped from his eye,” Ross recalled.

“I did see some of Davy’s dreams realized,” Ross said at Friday’s funeral. “I saw Davy shed his final tear. Now we must be strong like Davy.”