A California man and a woman have been arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting in Long Beach that left a 12-year-old boy dead and another child injured in May.
20-year-old Rashawn Strother who was in custody on an unrelated charge, is expected to be booked on suspicion of murder in the death of Eric Gregory Brown III.
His girlfriend, 21-year-old Destinee Sheree Scipio, was also arrested and booked on suspicion of murder, but Long Beach Police Department Chief Wally Hebeish did not offer many details on her role in the crime.
The shooting occurred on May 9 when Brown was walking on a sidewalk with two friends in the 2200 block of Lewis Avenue.
A vehicle with several suspects inside pulled up to the victims when someone started shooting at them.
A 14-year-old girl suffered a non-life-threatening injury, but Brown later died from his injuries, police said. The other girl was not injured.
Authorities believe the shooting stemmed from an earlier gang altercation that did not involve the victims, Hebeish said.
“The victims were not gang members and we have no reason to believe the victims knew the suspects,” the chief said.
Strother is described as a documented gang member, while Scipio has a prior violent criminal history.
Investigators believe there are more outstanding suspects in this case and ask anyone with information to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 562-570-7244. If information leads to successful arrest and conviction, it will be submitted for reward consideration.
Anonymous tips may be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting lacrimestoppers.org.
A reward of at least $25,000 was offered shortly after the killing for information in the case.
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