Teen Fatally Beaten After Attempting to Break Up Fight

Luis Gerardo Rodriguez became the man of the house after his father left. When friends needed a hand, he was there for them. Now witnesses say it was his willingness to get involved that cost Gerardo his life.

The 17-year-old Oxnard youth died early Saturday, the victim of an apparent gang-related attack, authorities said.

The cause of death has been ruled blunt force head injuries, said Mitch Breeze of the Ventura County medical examiner’s office. The girlfriend of the dead teenager, who was with him at the time of the attack, said he was struck several times in the head with a Club-type anti-auto-theft device.

According to Oxnard Police Senior Officer Tom Chronister, police responded to a report of a fight in the 300 block of Nevada Avenue in Oxnard at 11 p.m. Friday but were unable to find any disturbances in the area.

While investigating the call, police found Gerardo injured on the ground being attended to by two females in the 2100 block of Sierra Place, about four blocks west of Nevada Avenue.

Gerardo had suffered massive head injuries and was taken by ambulance to St. John’s Regional Medical Center emergency room, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at 1:25 a.m. Saturday.

Gerardo’s death is the 16th homicide in Oxnard this year. As of Saturday night, police had no suspects in custody.

As police continued their investigation, Gerardo’s family and friends tried to figure out why anyone would take the life of one who gave so much.

“He was a good son, a good brother, a good friend,” said Gerardo’s aunt, Josefina Gonzales of Los Angeles.

Gerardo and his four siblings were raised by their mother, Rosa Ochoa, 42, said his cousin, 29-year-old Veronica Andrade of Oxnard. “Gerardo was the man of the house. He was taking over in his dad’s place,” she said.

“Of all the kids, he was the one who made sure his mom did not suffer,” Andrade said.

Ochoa was not available for comment Saturday afternoon.

If his friends or his brothers ever talked about getting into trouble, Gerardo, who would have graduated from Channel Islands High School next year, was the one to set them straight, his cousin said. “He was not a gang member. As a matter of fact, he was the one who always was against that stuff,” Andrade said.

The attack came as Gerardo and his 17-year-old girlfriend stood outside the girlfriend’s house on Sierra Place. The girlfriend, who would not give her name, said they heard commotion nearby and then saw a group of males, whom neither recognized, fighting with one another.

Two of the people ran off as Gerardo ran over to break up the fight, the girlfriend said. Then six males ran up to Gerardo and started hitting him, she said.

“They had sticks and I remember them having a Club and that’s what they hit him with,” the girlfriend said.

It was the girlfriend and her aunt who were comforting Gerardo when police found him.

Friends and family started arriving at Gerardo’s house about 2 a.m. Saturday and were still coming and going Saturday afternoon. Many had just come from a party for Gerardo’s uncle, who was celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary elsewhere in the city. Gerardo had spent the previous night getting together the clothes he planned to wear to the celebration, Andrade said.

“He was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Andrade said.