A third suspect has been arrested in connection with the deaths of four people during a series of apparently random shootings in southeastern Los Angeles County, authorities announced Friday.
The juvenile, whose identity was withheld because he is a minor, was arrested in Compton Thursday night, sheriff's officials said in a news release. It is unclear what charges he will face or what role he is suspected of playing in the murders.
Gary Garcia Jr., 42, and Timberland McKneely, 20, were arrested and charged with murder this week in connection with the shootings, which took place Sunday night and early Monday in Bell, Huntington Park, Cudahy and unincorporated Los Angeles County. . The victims appeared to have been attacked at random by the suspects, who allegedly fired shots from a red pickup truck within a 5-mile radius over a period of approximately 90 minutes.
According to prosecutors, the suspects targeted Kevin Parada, 24, and a 29-year-old man who was with him outside the Martha Escutia Primary Center in Bell around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Parada died and the other man was not injured.
Thirty-four minutes later, in an unincorporated area of the county, bullets felled Josué Ramírez, 27, in a parking lot in the 1500 block of East Florence Avenue.
Four miles east, at the Ellen Ochoa Learning Center, Javier Pedraza Jr., 14, and a 13-year-old boy were shot a few minutes later while outside the school. Pedraza died outside the elementary school, authorities said. Neighbors said the boy attended school when he was in eighth grade. The 13-year-old boy was injured and taken to a hospital, authorities said.
The latest victim, Omar Alexander Mora, was shot shortly before 2 a.m. in the 6300 block of Santa Fe Avenue in Huntington Park. He was described as between 35 and 45 years old.
Garcia and McKneely are being held on $2 million bail. They are scheduled to appear for arraignment on Feb. 29 in Norwalk, according to court records.
In each shooting, a red Honda Pilot was captured on surveillance video footage driving away from the scene. Investigators were able to verify the vehicle's license plate and sent a bulletin to authorities indicating that the driver was armed and dangerous and wanted in connection with the shootings.
San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies stopped a vehicle matching the description at 4 p.m. Monday and a suspect was taken into custody. Investigators did not say which of the men was driving at the time. The second suspect was identified and arrested after a SWAT team issued and executed a search warrant at a Compton home Tuesday morning, according to investigators.
