Police Seek Help in Homicide Probe

Police are seeking the public’s help in solving what they believe is a gang-related homicide.

George Cruz was standing in the 12700 block of Bradley Avenue shortly before 10 Sunday night when someone drove by and shot him to death. Although Cruz was not in a gang, police said he was dressed as though he were.

Cruz was near a relative’s home when the gunshots erupted. “His cousin heard the shots, but didn’t think much of it because there’s a lot of gunfire in the neighborhood,” said Det. Frank Bishop of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Division.

Moments later, Cruz stumbled onto the porch of his cousin’s home.

“It’s a real whodunit,” Bishop said. “We’re trying to find anyone who can help us, anyone who was driving by or walking by when the shooting occurred.”

With several recent nonfatal shootings in Sylmar involving various gangs, detectives were trying to determine if the Cruz homicide was retaliation for one of those, Bishop said.