Man Faces Murder Charges Over Gang Attack in Reseda
A 22-year-old man accused of killing a teen-ager in a weekend drive-by shooting at a fast-food restaurant in Reseda was charged Thursday with murder and attempted murder.
Daniel Mejia of Encino pleaded not guilty in Van Nuys Municipal Court to one count of murder and five counts of attempted first- degree murder for the Saturday night attack.
The charges against Mejia, who is due back in court for a preliminary hearing Oct. 2, also include an allegation that he used a handgun to commit the gang-related crimes, said Robert Cohen, deputy district attorney. Mejia remained in custody after his court appearance on $2.6-million bail.
Samuel Barrios, 16, died after being shot in the chest just before 10 p.m. at the Popeye’s chicken restaurant on Vanowen Street. Three other men were wounded.
Cohen said one of the attempted murder charges stems from a separate drive-by shooting earlier that evening in Reseda.
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