16-year-old suspect named in killing of Robert Rodriguez, 14

Los Angeles police issued a murder warrant Thursday for the arrest of a teenage suspect in the killing of Robert Rodriguez, a 14-year-old Latino boy.

LAPD Det. Marc Matinez said Ignacio Araujo, a 16-year old Latino, is accused of killing Rodriguez in front of an apartment building in the 15400 block of Vanowen Street in Van Nuys on Oct. 23.

Rodriguez was shot about 3:50 p.m. when he was allegedly approached by Araujo. According to Martinez, Araujo asked Rodriguez where he was from, a common question used to determine gang identity, then shot him once in the head.

Martinez said Rodriguez was not a documented gang member and had no prior criminal history.

Araujo, who police say is a known member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang who goes by the nickname "Tiny," is being charged as an adult with Rodriguez's murder and is still at large. He is 5-foot-2 and weighs 120 pounds, according to a police flier.

In addition to Rodriguez's slaying, Araujo has been charged with the attempted murder of two other males and faces an additional count of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, according to the complaint filed by Los Angeles County prosecutors.

Martinez said there was no dispute that led up to the shootings, but he would not discuss what specifically happened that afternoon.

Anyone with information about Araujo's whereabouts is asked to call LAPD Van Nuys detectives at (818) 374-0040.

-- Anthony Pesce

Photo: Ignacio Araujo, 16, the suspect in the killing of Robert Rodriguez, 14. Credit: LAPD

Follow The Homicide Report on Twitter @latimeshomicide.

Comments

[GavachoLoco]

We need imigration sweeps, how can all this go on and the goverment never steps in.

[syscom3]

Killing people for the sake of killing people. Thats how bad its become.

How come the Latino leaders are not demanding a RICO style crackdown on these gangs?

[THE MAYOR OF VIRGINIA PARK]

arrogont/ignorant "gavacho" (which you shouldn't be proud of) and syscom are stupid, reactionary and have no class. these are human tragedies. as stupid and f---- up as you ARE, i wouldn't comment such insults if a family member of yours was killed. HAVE A HEART, be human. Brown people put food on your table, literally. shut your hole, and THINK. let's solve these SOCIAL PROBLEMS with INTELLIGENCE.
violence in my hood too,
THE MAYOR OF VIRGINIA PARK

[NoMoreViolence]

Kuddos to the Mayor of Virginia Park!!! This is not a latino issue but a social issue that is going on in every corner of our cities, counties and states. Whites are killin whites, blacks are killing blacks, and latinos are killing lations. Dont be ignorant people opens your eyes! gang violence needs to stop period!... and please have some respect for those who have lost a loved one!

[DMartinez]

WHEN WILL IT END? WHEN WILL WE SAY "ENOUGH"?

SOMETHINGS NEVER CHANGE....

Somethings never change. It seems as though we're becoming more and more desensitized to
hearing or reading about more senseless killings. More senseless killings of young
people; young innocent people. Young people who perhaps had bright futures ahead of them. Futures that would someday contribute to our communities and society. Unfortunately, not anymore.

Brutal, barbaric gang thugs or random barabaric killers snuff these bright stars out and we're left wondering, why? Why? Why does this happen?

I don't wish to rehash what I've said so many times before (in other articles) but when
you see tragic incidents like this where a young, innocent life is taken at the hands of
vile, beast, or by gang thugs, it's as though the subject was spoken about for the first time.

When a young life is wiped out through a senseless brutal killing it warrants a serious discussion that asks "why"? Or maybe we should be asking "when"? When will we stand up and say enough is enough?

When will the Hispanic community say ENOUGH? When will the community as a whole say
"ENOUGH"? Why do we allow this to happen?

When are we going to stand up and call a thug a thug?

When are we going to stand up and call a gang banger, a vile animal that should be
removed from society?

When are we going to scream and yell at the Latino parents for allowing their gang
banging kids to become such vile beasts?

Yes, I know that Latinos are not the only ones that commit murder. I know. I know. So all of you out there that are of the politically correct persuasion that coddle these thugs, RELAX. This is an introspection. I AM LATINO. THIS HITS HOME. I am tired of seeing this happen DAILY. And you should be too.

But when are we going to demand that Latino parents take control of their homes and their
families and the raising of the their kids to NOT be vile gang banging thugs? And IF the
kids are that much out of control and wont listen to the parents (which happens), THEN
when are we going to demand that the Latino parents whose kids are beyond help, turn
their potential killers into the police rather than coddle them and defend them for their vile acts?

WHEN?

When are we going to quit playing games with semantics and political correctness and see
these serious problems for what they are?

When are we going to teach our children that human life means SOMETHING?

When is the Latino community going to stop blaming others for their failures or for their shortcomings and hold themselves accountable for their actions or Inactions?

Why is this important? Because too many in the Latino community do not embrace the
concept of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and the importance this has to a CIVIL SOCIETY. We as
a civil society have an obligation, a social contract, that requires (DEMANDS) that its
citizens behave at a certain level of moral and ethical decency. UNFORTUNATELY, too many
in the Latino community do not grasp this or accept this basic tenet of a civil society.
Instead they would rather pass the blame or their actions anyone but themselves.

Folks, as a Latino American I hold myself and my family to standards beyond what our laws
and society asks of us. Now I am not saying that I am perfect nor am I implying that my
family and I are model citizens. No. What I am saying is that I cherish a civil society
that will allow others to respect human life. And my desire to live in such a society
where we can walk down the street at night without having to worry about a gang banger
committing a drive by shooting or a random killing is what drives me to want to teach my
children the simple and basic values of life.

Sadly though we have too many within the Latino community that fail to grasp this simple but crucial concept. Instead what we have are misguided people that would rather shoot the good guys (police) than arrest the vile killers that stalk and prey on victims within the Latino community.

I hate using this forum as a political soap box, especially when a young person such as
this young girl should be remembered and justice should be sought. But if we're to seek and realize justice for this young girl (and other victims) then I believe we need to
have open dialog on the integral factors that effect this serious problem of senseless
racial gang killings.

May Melody Ross rest in peace.

David Martinez

[sandboxkid]

What did gavacholoco and syscom3 say that was not true? It's hard to believe that The Mayor of Vigina Park could be so immature as to throwout insults. Typlical left wing waco-if someone doen't see eye to eye with them, put them down, insult them. I can't see why anyone would vote for a person like you.

[Jet]

DMartinez,

You seem so full of insight into the problem yet you come up with no solutions. As a female Latina and a mother and aunt with children all around her I too cherish a civil society and in my society one does not go around blaming a whole race for the problems of a few. I am 5th generation in this country and cannot trace my family tree too far back into the Mexican territory that is now Mexico. So my "ties" to Mexico are very limited and the strong ties of family that I see. I get the feeling from your post that despite your protest of not wanting to get on your soap box you have done just that. I for one do not appreciate being called an unfit parent, an uncaring parent and a parent that does not meet your standards of excellence. Now a little about myself, I grew up in Boyle Heights....left there for college at 18 and returned a college graduate a few years latter. I then got a job moved from that location married and am in the process of raising four boys. One is in his second year of college and one is on his way there in the next year. The other two are good boys who have never caused me problems. Now for you to drop me into your no good parent category is shameful on your part. Personal responsibility is up to all of us. I'm not sure where you got your data from and I'm sure you cannot back it up with anything more than unfounded statements but if you want this Latina mother to stand by you and support your introspection I think you should narrow your view point on Latino parents to those that actually are not involved in the lives that they brought into this world. Also can you please expand on your following statement: I hold myself and myself and my family to standards beyond what the law and society ask? That makes absolutely no sense at all. How can you hold a standard for oneself that does not exist? And by your name calling and unfounded statements and your need to categorize all Latino parents are you truly living your life beyond the standards of a civil society? You mean to tell me that NOT one of your family members has ever had an alcoholic drink at a kid’s party? After all at my kid’s parties alcoholic drinks were not allowed for the first five birthdays. I just didn’t see the need for adults to be drinking at a kid’s party. Also in my society I have not allowed my four sons to date until the age of 16 and even then the location of the date was very specific and a curfew is always imposed. In my society children are to be seen and not heard so when adults are in a room socializing even if it was my next door neighbor and we were enjoying a cup of coffee my children were in the next room away from adult conversations and my company. So you see Mr. Martinez your standards may not live up to what society and the law dictates because my view of society laws my be very different from yours so does not now put you in the category of a bad parent according to my society laws?

[Kim C.]

This is unfortuantely very sad, the question should be where are the parents? They need to be more involved in what there kids do. It's sad to see parents burrying there kids, especially at 14.

[*triste*]

I DNT GET IT WAT U WIN 4 KILLIN MY HOMIE WAT U NEW..WAT U WERE TRYIN 2 GET FAMOUS A DUMMIE HW WAS STILL A BBY HE WAS 14 WATS WRONG WID U...WILL GOD KNOWS Y THINGS HAPPEN..BUT F-UP FOO BUT UR JUZ A --------------------.....N YA..HOPEFULY U GO 2 JAIL 4 YEARS

[Raul]

Nicely said Kim C.

I'm not trying to be religious, but the bible says:

Proverbs 22:6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Proverbs 13:24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children.
Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.

Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind
and will make your heart glad.

[syscom3]

What is the most disturbing type of crime that I see in this blog is people gunned down by gangsters for no reason at all. Its horrific that a child who has nothing to do with the gangs, is a good person, raised by parents that care .... are blown out of existence by predators.

We as a society must now come to grips with a horrible truth. There are people amongst us that have so little value for human life and decency, societal norms, that they are in all fact, predators.

The ACLU wont protect you. The police cant be everywhere. Whats there to do? Do we need citizen armed patrols and begin to take on these gangs on our own?

[I. Garcia]

Wow, what a piece of work that kid is. 5'2" and 120 lbs. ... what a real man. He'll have fun in prison at that size. He'll make some lucky guy really happy in there.

No but really, people like him are the reason I'm ashamed to be brown sometimes. It's a shame I know, but it's the truth. Whimps like that kid feel the need to over-compensate, he's obviously not gonna win in a street fight, so what does he do? He thinks he's gonna be a real man by carrying a gun. And then he decides he's gonna really be brave and walk up to a defenseless unarmed kid and shoot him in the head. Yeah, that takes a whole lot of courage. Good job Ignacio, that was an excellent display of bravery. The worst part is I bet that poor kid would have whooped your scrawny little butt if you didn't have that gun.

The blame isn't completely on the shooter though, I blame his scumbag parents. There is no excuse for anybody to raise a little punk like that. I grew up with divorced parents, low income, and brown skin. Did I grow up to be a piece of garbage like Mr. Araujo? Nope. If my mom could raise me and my sisters to be respectable human beings, then anybody can do it.

I say you throw the irresponsible turds that created this coward in jail as well. No responsible parent would let their kid run around looking like a complete idiot with a shaved head and baggy pants. My mom and dad would literally whoop my ass into shape if I ever pulled that garbage. My parents came here with just the clothes on their backs as well and they managed to do okay in life and raise 4 good kids. What's this kid's parents' excuse?

Wasn't the point of coming here to live a better life and give your kids opportunities? But no, instead you come here, have a boat load of kids, leech off the system, live like animals, and on top of that you can't even be responsible enough to even attempt to make a man out of your son. You should have done everyone a favor and stayed your incompetent self in the slums you came from. Great job, you really contributed to society. You should've used a condom the fateful night this poor excuse for a human was conceived.

I say he gets the firing squad.

[Kim C.]

To Raul:
I'm A 17 Female, and I'm glad that I have kept a straight line up to now, I was close to the victim and I also went to Birmingham. My mother has taught me morals and respect. In this case a mother always knows what there son or daughter can be capable of. Mothers knows there child. If you for example are a father... Wouldn't you notice when you son/ daughter changes there attitude, or acts differently, shouldn't the you get the parent instinct that something is wrong? That maybe there into some kind of trouble? What happen to disciplining your children? Kids now-a-days, feel like there parent's don't give them sufficient time and attention. From a kids point of view, I really believe that parents should spend time with there children and find activities to keep children busy and away from drugs and alcohol. My mother personally got me involved me into soccer. I mean it's easy, pay attention to your child behaviors, and keep them busy and sit down have a talk with them. I Guarantee you that you will notice if your child acts weird...
- Kim C

[James]

gavacholoko if you had the common sense to know what you're talking about before you speak you would know that gangs are an American export. every gang you've heard of was born in good old US of A what good would a immigration sweep do? As for Garcia, some of us have been here since before California was accepted into the Union. Although some of our people do end up in poor desperate situations that doesn't mean our ethnic group is as a whole thus it shuldn't be a reason to be shameful of ones background. Every race has issues, violence and ignorance does not have a color.

[friends of ROBERT RODRIGUEZ]

THE GOVERMENT SHOULD BE DOING SOMTHING ABOUT THIS.THEY SHOULD SEND LAW IN FORCEMENT LOOKING FOR THE SUSPECT MANY OF US STILL HAVENT GOTTEN OVER OUR LOST AND MISS ROBERT VERY MUCH.ARE CONDOLENCE GOES TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY.

R.I.P ROBERT WILL MISS YOU AND NEVER FORGET YOU.