Fatal shooting of boy in Long Beach could be gang-related, police say

Police said Thursday they are investigating the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy inside a Long Beach home as possibly gang-related.

Although investigators believe the victim had no ties to gangs, one of his male family members does, said Sgt. Dina Zapalski, a spokeswoman for the Long Beach Police Department.

He and other members of the family were being interviewed by detectives.

It appears the suspect or suspects “intended to shoot an unknown person inside the residence,” police said in a statement. “All possible motives are being investigated.”

Sgt. Zapalski said the suspects are believed to be male, but there was no further information on their identities.

The suspects approached the home on the 1600 block of East 53rd Street about 9 p.m. Wednesday and fired through the front door, Zapalski said. The boy was struck in his upper body and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His name was not released.

“This is not an area where you would suspect gang-related activity; it’s a residential area,” Zapalski said, adding that detectives “don’t have a lot of good information at this time.”

She encouraged anyone with information to call Long Beach police homicide detectives at (562) 570-7244, or to submit a tip through the department’s website.

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-- Sam Allen