Teen shot to death while riding bike in South L.A.
A 14-year-old boy was shot and killed Wednesday night while riding a bicycle in South Los Angeles, the latest probable victim of surging violence between two gangs, police said.
Taburi Watson was riding his bike near St. Andrews Place and 87th Street about 7:25 p.m. when one or more assailants fired shots.
More than one bullet struck the teenager, who staggered a short distance from his bicycle and collapsed, police said. Neighbors came outside after hearing shots to find him lying on the ground. Taburi was declared dead after being taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
His death is the fourth in December with probable links to two warring Crips gangs in the Manchester Square and Gramercy Park areas east of Inglewood, said Det. Eric Crosson of the Los Angeles Police Department. A family buried one of the victims Thursday, even as the Los Angeles County morgue was arranging to receive Taburi’s body.
One of the killings was especially high-profile.
Kashmier James, 25, was shot about 10:20 p.m. on Christmas after celebrating the holiday with her family. She had stopped to visit a friend in the 1700 block of 85th Street near Western Avenue.
As James stood in the street outside her friend’s home, two men in a blue Chevrolet Tahoe pulled up, police said. One man got out and fired nine shots at James, striking her at least once in the head. Her 3-year-old daughter witnessed the shooting from the back seat of James’ car.
Relatives have said James was not involved in gangs and probably was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The office of Councilman Bernard C. Parks has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
The manner of her killing suggests that gang members were probably responsible, said LAPD Det. Samuel Arnold.
Taburi, at the time of his shooting, was wearing clothes suggesting an affiliation with one of the warring gangs, Crosson said. He was technically in “safe” territory for that gang, but near the turf of the rival gang.
Crosson called the violence part of an “escalating feud,” but added, “I’ve been in this division 13 years and they’ve been shooting each other the entire time.”
Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (213) 485-1383.
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