Victim identified in fatal South L.A. shooting

A 37-year-old man who was shot and killed in front of a home in South Los Angeles, allegedly by a man he had assaulted earlier in the day, was identified today by coroner officials.

Laquinn Tucker was shot in the chest shortly before 10 p.m. Friday in the 800 block of West 43rd Street. Jimmy Hernandez, 21, was arrested and charged with murder in the man’s death, according to a police statement.

According to police, Hernandez was at a market earlier Friday in the 4200 block of South Hoover Street when he was approached by a man who asked for $5 in what police said was a “panhandling type” of situation. Hernandez said he didn’t have any money and walked outside, and then the man’s friend, Tucker, allegedly attacked Hernandez with a stick, police said.

Later, Hernandez, accompanied by three gang members, approached Tucker, who was standing on the front porch of the South L.A. home, police said. One of the men asked him if he had been involved in the earlier incident, and when he replied that he had Hernandez allegedly shot him, according to police.

Detectives arrested Hernandez at his home in South Los Angeles. The three others who were with Hernandez at the time of the shooting were still at large.

Anyone with information is asked to call Southwest Division homicide detectives at (213) 485-1383.

--Victoria Kim and Ruben Vives

Tucker was shot in the 800 block of W. 43rd Street in the Vermont Square neighborhood of South Los Angeles, shown in this map. The alleged assault on Hernandez took place a short distance away in the 4200 block of South Hoover Street.

Comments

[Bill smith]

Seems somewhat justified. A little street justice where finally the right person caught a bullet. Too bad it's going to cost this guy his freedom.