14-Year-Old Boy, Man Held in Shooting Death

Police are holding a 14-year-old Canoga Park boy and a Woodland Hills man in connection with the weekend shooting death of Francisco Rojas.

The motive of the 1:30 a.m. shooting Saturday might have been robbery or a gang initiation, said Los Angeles Police Det. Rick Swanston. Police were still looking for two other suspected gang members.

Rojas, his two brothers and his cousin were walking in an alley near the 7000 block of Jordan Avenue when the 14-year-old boy, whose name was withheld because of his age, approached them and demanded money, police said. The men refused and the boy walked away.

“They knew him because he used to live down the street,” Swanston said. “He was serious, but [the brothers] didn’t take him seriously.” The suspect returned with three other gang members who attacked the brothers with baseball bats and at least one gun, Swanston said.

Police arrested the 14-year-old at his home Saturday afternoon. He was being held at Sylmar Juvenile Hall. Brian Keith Thompson was also arrested Saturday and was being held at the West Valley Jail. Swanston said one theory is that older gang members were initiating the 14-year-old.