Pico Union: Boy, 12, shot west of Convention Center

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Steven Munoz, a 12-year-old Latino boy, was shot and killed while standing with a group gathered west of the Los Angeles Convention Center about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008.

Munoz was killed in the same incident as Luis Rodriguez, 18, mentioned above.

Witnesses told police that several Latino males who had shaved heads, gray shirts, black pants and who appeared to be in their late teens, got out of a car and opened fire on a crowd in the 1400 block of Connecticut Street near Olympic Boulevard.

Steven ran from the area to 11th Street, where he collapsed, He had been shot several times in the upper torso.

He was taken to Los Angeles Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Steven’s age was initially reported by police as 11.

Rodriguez, whose age was initially reported as 25, was discovered bleeding in an alley in the 1400 block of 11th Street. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.

LAPD investigators, who said they believed the shootings were gang-related, were searching for the suspects, who may have fled the scene in a four-door car, possibly a Honda, with gray and white spots.

-- Andrew Blankstein and Anthony Pesce