Teen’s murder: 2 years later

Gretchen Hoffman

GLENDALE -- Two years ago Sunday, 17-year-old Raul Aguirre was

murdered outside Toll Middle School in what police say was a gang fight

he tried to break up.

Karen Terteryan, Rafael Gevorgyan and Anait Msryan have been living

out their teenage years behind bars since then, but a trial is nowhere in

sight.

Gevorgyan, then 15, allegedly hit Aguirre in the head with a crowbar

and Terteryan, then 17, is accused of stabbing him. Msryan, then 14, is

accused of driving the boys to the scene.

Aguirre’s murder forced many in the community to open their eyes to

ethnic tensions in Glendale. The attack allegedly began when one of

Aguirre’s friends, an admitted gang member, and Gevorgyan and Terteryan

flashed gang signs at each other.

Glendale Police and school district officials took immediate steps to

address concerns that ethnic tension and gang problems were a very real

threat, said Susan Hunt, a community resource specialist with the

district.

There are more school resource officers on campus and increased

traffic control measures in front of Hoover High School, Hunt said.

Activities designed to increase communication between students of

different ethnicities and “reduce the level of hatred” continue on

campuses, Hunt said.

“I think in terms of racial tension, it has subsided at Hoover,” Hunt

said.

A preliminary hearing for the three teens continues on Monday.

“Obviously we’re frustrated with how slow everything has gone,” Deputy

District Atty. Darrell Mavis said. “It’s very hard on [Aguirre’s] family.

They have to keep thinking about this over and over again each time they

go to court.”

Attorneys for the three teens could not be reached for comment.