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.