3 Men Held After Fatal Shooting in South L.A.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies arrested three of six reputed gang members who authorities said beat and killed a man in South Los Angeles after drunkenly deciding they wanted to shoot someone.

Gary Holden, 19, Charles Walker, 22, and Charlie Watson, 18, all of Los Angeles, were booked Saturday at the Sheriff’s Department’s Lennox station on suspicion of murder with bails of $1 million, Deputy David Cervantes said.

After a long night of drinking, the suspects approached a man, described as being in his 30s, at a bus stop in the 1000 block of South Normandie Avenue near 96th Street about 10:20 p.m. Friday, Cervantes said.

“They decided to pick on this poor guy who was waiting for the bus,” he said.

The alleged gang members beat the man and then shot him several times in the upper body, Cervantes said.

Deputies responding to calls of shots fired found the victim about a block from the bus stop. The man was taken to a hospital, where he died, Cervantes said.

Holden, Walker and Watson were arrested early Saturday after authorities served several warrants. Sheriff’s deputies are seeking the other three suspects.

Authorities have not identified the victim, but they said they do not believe he was a gang member, Cervantes said.

“This is just a senseless, malicious act,” said Deputy Scott Butler. “This is out of the ordinary. It’s a random act of cowardice.”