'He's going to be missed'

Christopher Sloan was born early, and weighed only two pounds. His family did not know whether he would survive. He did.

At 16, while attending Centennial High School in Compton, his mother died of a heart attack.

His aunt, Yvonne Edwards, 55, said Sloan took his mother's death hard. He was the only child, she said, and  his father had left him at an early age.

Life went on for Christopher Sloan, though. Long enough for the aspiring music producer to father a son, attend college and land a job as a security guard,  Edwards said.

But it came to an end July 14 when he was killed by gunfire. Sloan, 22, had just placed his 8-month-old son in his girlfriend's car outside his home in the 2400 block of East 108th Street, near Watts.

He was about to kiss his girlfriend, Robyn Jackson, goodbye when a Latino man walked out of an alley behind his home and began shooting at Sloan, said officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Sloan ran to divert the bullets from his son and girlfriend, Edwards said. A second shooter standing at the intersection fatally shot him, she said. Sloan staggered to a neighbor's house and collapsed on the sidewalk. Jackson, 21, said she ran to him.

"He was trying to gasp for air,"  Jackson said. "I held his hand and I prayed to God."

Sloan was pronounced dead at St. Francis Medical Center.

Sheriff's homicide Det. Philip Ferguson said he had not confirmed the second shooter.  Sloan had no criminal history, said Ferguson, who  did not know the motive for the shooting.

"He [Sloan] definitely knew people who were in a gang," Ferguson said. "But we don't know if he was a specific target because of his association with a gang or whether he did something that caused him to get shot."

Sloan, a budding rap artist, was attending college to become a music producer, Edwards said. He recently had been hired as a security guard, a job that gave him time to be with his son during the day, she added.

Three days after the shooting, relatives sat in the front yard. Family members began sharing stories of Sloan's bad luck with cars and his goofy laugh.

"He's going to be missed," Edwards said. "But he's with his mama now."

Photo: Sloan, Jackson and their 8-month-old son. Bottom right, Balloons, candles and flowers were placed outside a neighbor's home, where Sloan collapsed. Credit: Ruben Vives / Los Angeles Times

Above, much of the gunfire aimed at Sloan was blocked by parked cars.

The alley behind Christopher Sloan's house, like most in South L.A. neighborhoods, is often used for illegal dumping. Family members said they've asked the city to close it off to the public, but city officials have told them that would be a fire hazard. The alley is next to a warehouse.

Comments

[corie]

When will this sensless violence stop? I know that this question is asked everytime someone is gunned down for NOTHING. My condolences go out to the family of this young man who was on his way to becoming a professional.

[Busby SEO Challenge]

Your post is so interesting. Inspiring and educational. Keep up the good work. I love this blog!

[john doe]

i think it will never stop its been going on for generatins keep hoping gee.

[julie little pacoima]

R.I.P! very much love and respect to the family and friends of mr sloan, i too lost a "young" love one , by gun fire, decemeber 5, 2007 kevin deville 21 yrs old shot to death in van nuys ca. murderer no where to be found! why is that! when the police want to find a bad check writer or county fraud person they on it! but when it comes to our only black youth that we have that have a chance in this world, god takes them and leaves us to feel nothing but pain and sorrow! WELL GOD! IM TIRED OF LOOSING OUR YOUNG ONES THAT ARE GREAT IN EVERYTHING THEY DO HOW ABOUT LOOSING SOME THAT DONT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEMSELVES! STOP TAKING OUR KIDS! LORD PLEASE!

[Syscom3]

A second shooter waited for him? Sounds like a planned hit. I wonder what was really going on in his life.

[Southoc]

Stop allowing it

[YOLIE]

I'm so sorry he's gone. I lost my son's father seventeen years ago. God is with you and your family. Just know christopher is at peace now with god and his mom. God bless you and your family.

[Beauty4Ashes]

My prayers go out to Robyn and his baby son. Let Jesus be your strength.

[kasey]

syscom3:
Whatever was going on in his life......It's not for man to determine whom lives or whom dies....thats God's call. I can understand your train of thought but that is no solace to the family here...THINK BEFORE YOU WRITE!!