Suspected gang member flees court after learning he faces charges of attempted murder

Police were looking Tuesday for a suspected gang member who walked out of court two months ago after learning he faced three counts of attempted murder.

Adrian Figueroa, 20, of Huntington Park, fled the downtown Los Angeles County Superior Courthouse on Dec. 14 after learning prosecutors wanted to elevate the charges in his case from assault with a firearm to attempted murder, police said.

An L.A. County judge previously ordered Figueroa to appear in court on lesser charges, said Sgt. Mike Flores of the Montebello Police Department. Just before his arraignment, Flores said, Figueroa got wind that prosecutors intended to charge him instead with attempted murder and quickly left the courtroom, skipping bail.

A $3-million warrant was issued for his arrest the day he fled the courtroom, officials said.

The case stems from a June 27, 2010, shooting in the 3300 block of Beverly Boulevard, Flores said.

Police said Figueroa was asked to leave a party the night of June 26 after he accused someone of stealing his cellphone. He returned to the party around 1:20 a.m. the next day with at least one other male accomplice, and both men began shooting, officials said.

Three men were injured in the attack. Two were hospitalized with gunshot wounds to the back and buttocks. A bullet grazed another man who was not taken to the hospital. None of the injuries were life-threatening, Flores said.

Figueroa was arrested Aug. 5 by Montebello police on a charge of assault with a firearm and was released on bond a short time later, Flores said. He had been making his scheduled court appearances up until the December incident, Flores said.

Figueroa is believed to be in the East Los Angeles or Huntington Park areas, police said. He is described as Latino, 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and tattoos on his arm and left leg. Police consider him armed and dangerous, Flores said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Ray Sulcer at 323-887-1253.

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-- Nate Jackson

Photo: Adrian Figueroa. Credit: Montebello Police Department

Map: Shows location of June 17, 2010, shooting in black, as well as recent reported crimes in the area in brown and red. Credit: Mapping L.A.

Comments

[GingerSnaps]

My bet is he is somewhere deep in Mexico. Of course, he should not have been out on bail in the first place; armed and dangerous indeed.

[Tom, Long Beach, California]

deport after his sentence is completed

[James Andrews]

ViVa LaRaza.. We don't need no stinkin bordes

[Mcgibby]

Released on bond for attempted murder...nice!

[JB]

So prosecutors make more money charging someone with attempted murder as opposed to assault with a deadly weapon? Lets examine the prosecution.

[JustCause]

Some of the blogers are a little racist..

[Team Mom]

Really Mcgibby...you should read the article before you comment. He was released on bond for assault with a firearm, not for attempted murder. He fled once he found out they were planning on charging him with attempted murder.

[DoesntCare]

Everyone who HAS NOT murdered someone is ENTITLED to bond out of jail.

[shadowpark]

This is a job for DOG!

[Mcgibby]

Doesn'tCare:

Really? So there is no such thing as setting a high bail for suspects that present a danger to society(for example, known gang members being charged with attempted murder)?

I'm not lawyer, so I won't claim to know--I'm not a criminal--but, if this were to be the irrational case, something should be done to change that.

[Alex P. Gomez]

This guy is in Mexico, good luck!

[Mcgibby]

Team Mom, I read the article. But, maybe you can explain how this makes sense. Why would a known gang member that is arrested for shooting someone be released on bond? I have the answer: Because this system is foolish. Anyone on the receiving end of his next attack should sue the city for negligence.

[Pegasus]

We should question the prosecutors and the Montebello Police Dept, because if they obviously have no proof otherwise they would have kept him in jail.