Dispatch: 'It was just a senseless crime'

The coffin stood at the center of the church, just below the steps to the altar. An oversize bouquet of white roses rested on its lid, flanked by funeral wreaths. On one side was a framed No. 9 football jersey.

The mourners poured into the church this morning, gathering for Draysean Earl, a 13-year-old black youth who was gunned down in broad daylight last week in Compton. The pall bearers wore white. Family and friends came in memorial T-shirts.

Women shouted and sang, their hands reaching for the church’s vaulted ceiling as Pastor A.L. Smith gave his sermon at One One One Christian Church in Long Beach. Men yelled “Amen” while shaking their heads and swaying to the music.

At 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5, a black gunman walked down South Temple Avenue in Compton toward a group of youths hanging out in the 1400 block. He fired off five shots. Draysean and Andrew Peppers, 16, were each struck in the head.

“Whenever we see black-on-black crime, it’s family killing family,” preached one of the pastors at the service, reminding those present that the first killing in the Bible is a family member killing another family member.

A man who identified himself as Andrew’s grandfather stood at the front of the church to say a few words. His grandson died at the scene. Draysean died early the next morning at a hospital.

“This black-on-black crime, it doesn’t make sense,” he said.

Witnesses described what happened to police. A man walked up to a group of teens and, from about 245 feet away, fired five shots from a large-caliber handgun, said Det. Karen Shonka of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Shonka said she stood on the spot where the shots were fired, about five houses away. To have hit two boys, and both in the head, she said:  “It was just pure luck. Pure luck.” Draysean and Andrew had skipped school that day, and they were hanging out in a group of as many as 15 boys and girls, Shonka said.

The area is a common neighborhood hangout, which made the group an easy target for violence, Shonka said. Witnesses described the shooter as a 17- to 20-year-old black man, thin, between 5-feet-10 and 6 feet tall, she said. He had a very dark complexion, and he was wearing a royal blue T-shirt and black jeans that day, Shonka said.

The man approached the group on foot but had a getaway car parked up the street. He ran north on South Temple Street after the shooting, and sped off in a newer model gray sedan-type car, Shonka said.

Draysean was skipping school when the shooting happened, but his principal – of Roosevelt Middle School – stood up at his funeral and said he was an excellent student. He was in nearly all honors courses, including the school’s leadership class, she said.

Though he was successful academically, Draysean’s family and friends said, he lived and breathed the game of football. He played on a local youth team and quickly rose to become one of the most valuable and consistent players, said Terry Traylor, or “Coach Tee,” who coached Draysean’s football team for a year.

Traylor said Draysean did everything he could to improve his performance and regularly held his teammates accountable to his coach’s instructions.

“He used to tell me to do my push-ups every night,” said Troy Williams, 14, one of Draysean’s teammates.

Traylor said he had told Draysean that to become a better player, he had to do 200 push-ups every night.

One time, Traylor said, he was hosting a team sleepover at his house. At nearly 1 in the morning he asked the boys to get some sleep, but Draysean would not go to bed until he had completed his push-up regimen.

“He was doing these pushups in the dark,” Traylor said. “Even though it was late he said that he still wanted to do his 200 push-ups. He got them done, then went to bed.”

And the work had paid off.

Lavon Wright, 14, one of Draysean’s teammates, recalled a play he is still impressed by: “[Draysean] got the ball and took it almost 50 yards down the field.”

Traylor said he was one of the most physical players on the team. “When he made tackles he usually brought a big impact,” he said.

Mary Jackson, 38, Draysean’s mother, said he had received a scholarship to play football at Mater Dei High School, a rare accomplishment.

“He was going to be an NFL football player, but God called him home to be on his NFL team,” she said. “An African American man gunned down my baby boy. It was just a senseless crime. I don’t think any of the boys deserved that.”

-- Anthony Pesce

Top photo: Draysean Earl's funeral service at One One One Christian Church in Long Beach. Bottom photo: Draysean's teammates from the Suburban Football for Youth of Cerritos Steelers team. Credit: Anthony Pesce/Los Angeles Times

Middle photo: Handout football photo of Draysean Earl.

Comments

[syscom3]

The killing wont stop untill the community stops supporting the gangster lifestyle.

[changehappens]

As I've read the homicide report over the last couple years, about the only murders seen in most of central LA is black on black or pure gang warfare between rival black and hispanic gangs. So again, to this poor childs parents, ministers and adults, what sort of murder makes sense to you all? I also wonder how many of these adults refused to co-operate with police in prior crimes, including murder? If where this child was murdered was a known hang-out for truants, why didn't the adults put a stop to it? Obviously the schools must have known about that spot, why didn't they put a stop to it?

[DAME-O]

GONE TOO SOON. DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN. GOD BLESS THE FAMILY OF THIS YOUNG MAN....

[missing linq]

wow,this is a shame,.as i look at the photo and see all the kids that ive seen over the years on that team it hurts .i actually talk to those young men several times a year of the football season.he was a nice kid and and always stop to talk and laugh at my corny jokes...he will be missed.my prayers to the family,as well as the cerritos chapter.dont dwell on how they died ,remember the joy of how the lived...coach byrd..Southbay Paker family..............

[Snowbound]

Black on black? What's that all about? Does it mean black people only shoot those of other races? Its always unfortunate when someone so young or anyone for that matter is murdered. The first thing I thought was, "What was he doing skipping school?" Then I thought, "I played hookey, so who am I to say anything?" I'm glad I grew up in a place where disputes were settled without gunfire.

[David]

It's sad that this type of senseless violence is committed across our country daily, but I don't understand why the adults mentioned in the news article seem to think it is worse because it was a" black on black"shooting.
Would any of them feel better or would it make more sense to them if these children had been killed by someone of another color or race?

[hutl]

Black on black crime doesn't make sense? What does make sense...black on white crime, black on hispanic crime, hispanic on asian crime, white on black crime? None of makes sense. If you want to live in society you have entered into a social contract and you should live up to your part of the deal and not violate your fellow citizens. That said I do agree with the fact that the society has to stop supporting gang culture. In my neighborhood when I see gang looking kids hanging in groups on the side walk I call the cops. The cops come and usually arrest a few of them because I'm sure they are doing something wrong or have warrants. The more you do that the less these kids hang around causing trouble. The only thing you can do is stand up and take your neighborhood back and don't live in fear

[llobo]

compton loves the ganga style ,what does a current president think?he doesnt care like the rest of our presidents

[LEFTY]

support a gang lifestyle?? ..What do u want these youths to do..support the crooked government..look up to pro athletes (Michael Vick, Manny etc)..look up to law enforcement who are crooked like these Gangsters..U want these communities to support the "white" lifestyle everything is PC..Some of these people would never understand the hood..RIP..im ballhead ese..it hurts to see this loss of this youngster..not all Mexicans think alike..RIP ..ITS NOT RIGHT!!!!

[Tarn Helm]

Why is it that armed murder is a way of life in the African-American communities and other "minority" communities? Because too many members of these communities refuse to "buy into" the laws and social practices of the larger culture outside of the neighborhood enclaves. The killing won't stop until the members of the African-American community who oppose gang culture outnumber, and are more influential than, the gang members themselves. It is long overdue that the African-American community effectively prevent its young male members to fulfill the Ku Klux Klan's mission. The African-American community has become its own worst enemy. Only the members of the community can heal it. It must be done from within. No external source of help (i.e., government program) can accomplish this. As Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being." The same is as true of communities as it is of the individual, who must search his own soul in order to identify and correct the problems he causes himself.

[rich]

If we truly want to get rid of gang violence we should fix the lead in the water of the LAUSD. It seems that the areas with the most lead exposure have the highest level of murder. It has been known for centuries that lead causes violence when ingested and poorer mental functions. The new violent gangs that spreads nationwide started in the 1970 exactly when the lead level became a problem in Los Angeles.

[Norwalquero]

Absolutely right! To say that this particular double-murder (not to mention the hundreds of others in Los Angeles every year) is senseless BECAUSE it was "Black on Black" is a huge part of the problem! Especially when it comes from the mouths of so-called Christians. According to the Bible, there is no black or white, Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female...all are one in Christ! The murder of a black man is just as immoral and evil as the murder of a white man, brown man, yellow man or any color in between. It's high time to make that clear!

[tysean]

Thank you for all your comments I'm draysean big cousin and im a only child to lose on of my cousin is like losing a brother. Me and my family can't thank the community enough. Please keep us in your prayers. IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and once again thank you.

[Dina]

“This black-on-black crime, it doesn’t make sense,” ? White on black, Black on brown. None of it makes sense.

[syscom3]

LEFTY, The gangster lifestyle has done what good thing for the black community?

I might be naive, but I would expect the black youth of those neighborhoods to take MLK's words to heart and to improve themselves and not be violent.

[ndirish]

killings will never stop no matter what anybody does. you could invest millions, billions, trillions of money into anything you want and it wont end it. maybe it can slow it down, but will never end it. I'm not negative in anyway, I'm just realistic. How long has this been happening? Too many years and it will continue. I always say, stay in school, stay involved in sports at all times, be home before it gets dark and dont hang out with negative influences or out in the streets. Nothing good happens when people do that. It's sad that this happened and sad to say that this is not the last.

[BROKEN UP]

I sit here and i cry when i did not even know this boy. how coould someone do this? they were just children. People these days are so heartless to just shoot in a crowd of people. what a coward but thats okay god saw everything and you will be punished.

[Samantha]

As a mother I can't even start to pretend what the mother's must be going through. We do our best for our children. We send them to school, hoping and praying that they make it there safe and sound. We then pray for the same on their walk home. I sit at my desk waiting for each of my kids to call me the moment they walk in the door home from school. And even though I don't like to admit it, I sigh just a little knowing that at least on this date I won the battle, my children made it hime safe and sound. I leave for work, and send my child off to school never really knowing if he/she made it there until the school calls looking for him/her. The only person to blame in this story it the person who pulled the trigger and shot these young boys. I don't care the color of thier skin, some mother is hurt and missing her child because some idiot decided he had the power and used a gun to show this power, but yet he did not have the ability to take responsiblity for his actions and stick around to deal with the consiquences. I fell so bad for these mom's...nothing will ever be the same again. Losing a child is like no other pain in the world. I have read the statements on many of these blogs about losing a brother, sister, mother, father and yes even a friend. However, everyone comes to terms with the loss of these people. One never gets over the loss of a child. Nothing makes one feel better then the soft words of a child "don't cry momma" during the death of a loved one. Having my children around helped me come to terms with the loss of my mother but when it came time to greive over the loss of my child at the hands of another NO one to date has been able to help with that pain. I still have moments of extreem anger and profound moments of feelings of hopelessness. Small moments I wish he was here, big moments I wish he was here. I still here him yell out Ma. I still find myself saying I better hurry, he'll be home soon. It's been 12 years. He would have been 24 on May 24. I'm so sorry to say to these two mother's it won't get any better. It might get more tolorable, it might get more stress free but it won't get any better. I found myself the other day having a dream about my baby. He and or I still reach out for each other in our dreams. With my last breath I will wish that he was here with me. I wasn't ready for God to take him back, I wasn't and still am not ready to share him with God. I wasn't ready for him to go to a better place. I wasn't done loving him, raising him, and needing him. My baby should not have been here for only 12 years. He deserved more, he should have been given more. May the mother's who love these kids find some comfort in time. No words make you feel better, stories due for a short period of time but then reality hits, if not for his death you would not be hearing these stories. There are no words to comfort you. I kow, I wish I did't know but I do.

[Chuck Wavy Dean]

After reading about one crime after another like this one in the black and hispanic communities it seems like the only solution is to satuarte these areas with the police or the national guard in order to protect these people from themselves. The sad thing about this case is that it is the same old story told over and over again. Nothing that has been tried so far seems to work very long. The only thing left is, in effect, the imposition of a police state in certain high crime areas of the city.

[Matt]

This is such a tragedy...It's time like this where such a seemingly pointless murder should make us lean on God all the more. Draysean had a bright future ahead of him no doubt. You can also be certain that the Lord knows him and loves him greatly.

[Peter]

Those who loved this young man have my condolences.

I very much doubt that the miniister, in saying that black on black murder doesn't make sense, meant to imply, for example, that white on black or black on white murder does make sense. Rather, I regard the comment as a somewhat inartful effort to move the black community to take responsibility for what has become a problem of tragic proportions within the black community, black on black killings.

[Rick]

There was nothing in the local news media about the murder of this young man. I only learned about this from reading this blog. It is very sad this kid was murdered for simply ditching. Again he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The sad thing is he should have been in school where it is safer. The principle of school said he was an excellent student. The only day he decided to ditch school, he gets gun down in the streets. I agree if this is a known hangout for kids ditching school, why didn't the community, the police or someone try to do something about it.

[LaTausha Jones]

It's saddens my heart to read something like this. A young boy who's dreams were cut short by someone who didn't care if he lived or died. His whole life ahead of him cut short. I just printed this story out to show my own 12 year old son to show him that life is not promised to you...... GOD be with this family........

[amber]

draysean wats my friend he was like my big bro i miss yu dray i love yu so much this just its not fair i seen i best friend layn out on da street dead :'(

[amber]

draysean wats my friend he was like my big bro i miss yu dray i love yu so much this just its not fair i seen i best friend layn out on da street dead :'(

[amber]

draysean was like my brother i miss he more and more ever day its crazy man i miss seen yu around school and you telling me to go to class man i wish came to school the day i can still yu saying "DONT FIGHT THE FEEL"

[yana]

"compton loves the ganga style" this coment was put in one of the comments below...most of us hate gangs out here in compton. it killed mi cousin, my uncle, drae, and even andrew. i hate living and being surounded by people. people join gangs for mentors others because there friends did. we go through life scared but at the same time it really aint that bad. people only here or see the shootings and the horible parts. to tell you the truth it is changing. i have cried every night over these people. drae especially was one of the greatest and smartest people to man kind. i hate to admit it even smarter than me

[Faith B.]

It was like i couldnt breath when i first found out. you hear about it all the time but it never bothers you until its one of your own! he was my friend, my buddy, he was even like a brother to me, and never would i have thought that with in hours i'd never see him again. never hug him again, never sit on his stairs beside him, aim him or even talk to him for that matter. but out of everything the thing i miss the most is his smile. It takes time for it to heal and the pain doesnt go away it just fade. An your anger against the city increases as you realise how much they really dont care. they say there "birthing a new compton" nothing will be new if you dont make changes now. and seeing that CHILDREN are still dien from gang violence while others are afriad to step out side doesnt look like much of change to me. He was a child a smart loving wonderful person who couldnt even make it to his 14th birthday because gang violence. how is that birthing anything new? As a close friend of the victum who shed tears for months and still its hard for me to talk about it with out my eyes watering i say "PLEASE PLEASE STOP THE BLACK ON BLACK CRIME" cause at the end of the day nobody will have your back like your brother or sisters. And stop gang banging its pointless!!!

[Diamond]

Draysean is a great person i will always love him
R.I.P Draysean Earl
sunset: May 5 09
i miss you draysean
i miss you sayin "dont fight it, juss let it happen"
you used to tell me to go to class nd to stay out of trouble nd you told once not to fight whats already happenig but to make it better for myself to look at things in a the positive way.
love Alwys Diamond