Hawthorne: homicide investigation

A white man, aproximately 40 years of age, was found dead about 12:01 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 118th Street and Felton Avenue in Hawthorne, authorities said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it was assisting the Hawthorne Police Department in the investigation.

"We still don't know the circumstances of that death," said Deputy Rick Padroza of the L.A. County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau. More soon.

Comments

[Danny Wilcox]

The use of "black man" is in my opinion a tool to make the crime totally clear and that black on black crime is an epidemic. I am not a sociologist, but feel trends must be dealt with and studied if we ever want this wave of death to stop.

[L Chasen]

And why do so many people think it's racially motivated when someone is described as black or latino or white? That's what they are, plain and simple!!!! If you aren't a racist in your heart, then you never even think it's meant that way. I never do until SOMEBODY decides to make some sort of accusatory comment about it and puts the idea in EVERYONE'S head. Sadly, that's why racism will NEVER die. People won't let it !!

[Chilly N]

The facts are the facts. You are blind and ignorant if you cannot accept the facts. The homicide report is scary and very informative. Obviously you are new to the Homicide report, or you cannot accept the real meaning of the truth. I am so thankful for the Homicide report. It Is not pretty and they don't b.s anyone. It is a reality. If you cannot handle it. Do not visit it again. Kudos to the Homicide report. !

[nikki]

Okay , I and other bloggers just went through this question the other day. I hate this question. You must be a homicide report rookie.Myname, I am not trying to be mean or disrespectful but would you please read the frequently asked questions on the right side of your computer under ALL LA TIMES Blogs. I cant take this anymore. Like I said, thats the problem why the hell cant we just worry about more important things.Who cares if they mention race. Lets say for example if I am away from home and I am reading the blog and they say someone got killed on my street. I would like to know gender and race. That narrows it down. If you dont like it dont read the report cause they are not going to stop telling the race. Get over it .RIP to the family of the victim and may GOD keep the family in these difficult times.

[Lucy]

It is supposed to make you sick - sick enough to do something to build up the community. The facts are the facts, the author is trying to write more facts than anyone else is willing too. That is exactly the point.

[geeque]

Thats real. I agree, why do you always have to say what race the person is that did the killing? All that does is instigate the violence for future vengence. Cut it out.

[M.]

So sad. This area of Hawthorne wasn't always such a crime hot spot.
BTW, something is wrong with the Homicide Map. No entries show up for Hawthorne!!

[LA Woman]

The whole point of this blog is to illustrate the populations being killed. See below ..

Why does the Report talk about race?

(re-run of a February post)

The Homicide Report includes information on race or ethnicity in its weekly lists of homicide victims issued by the Los Angeles County coroner, as well as the name, gender and age of each victim, and the time, place and manner of death. A number of readers have asked why race is included. Some have criticized the practice.

Racial information was once routinely included in news stories about crimes, but in recent decades, newspapers and other media outlets stopped mentioning suspects' or victims' race or ethnicity because of public criticism. Newspapers came to embrace the idea that such information is irrelevant to the reporting of crimes, and may unfairly stigmatize racial groups.

The Homicide Report departs from this rule in the interest of presenting the most complete and accurate demographic picture of who is at risk of dying from homicide in Los Angeles County.

Race and ethnicity, like age and gender, are stark predictors of homicide risk. Blacks are vastly more likely to die from homicide than whites, and Latinos somewhat more likely. Black men, in particular, are extraordinarily vulnerable: They are 4% of this country's population, but, according to the Centers for Disease Control, they represented 35% of homicide victims nationally in 2004. Local numbers mirror these national disparities. According to an analysis for The Times by county health officials of homicide data between 1991 and 2002, Latino men ages 20 to 24 were five times more likely than white men the same age to die, and black men were 16 times more likely.

The Homicide Report recognizes the peril of dehumanizing victims by reducing their lives and deaths to a few scant facts--particularly racial designations which provide only the roughest markers of ancestry and history. But given the magnitude of difference in homicide risk along racial and ethnic lines--and the extremity of suffering which homicide inflicts on subsets of the population--we opt here to present information which lays bare racial and ethnic contours of the problem so conspicuous in the coroner's data. The goal is to promote understanding, and honor a basic journalistic principle: Tell the truth about who suffers.

As you read The Homicide Report, keep in mind the racial breakdown of the population of Los Angeles County. We are, according to the Census Bureau, about 47% Latino, 29% white, 12% Asian, and 9% black. If homicide were distributed equally among racial groups, not quite half the victims included in The Homicide Report's weekly listings from the coroner would be Latino, and fewer than one in ten would be black.

[Myname]

Why do you always have to say a latino man killed a black man or a black man killed a latino man? That makes me really sick! What's your point. Why do you have to always emphasize the race of the killer and that of the Killee (if that's a word) , just kidding. --- and the victim?