Student Dies of Wound in Mistaken Gang Attack

A Santa Monica College student died Wednesday, five days after he was shot in the face in the mid-Wilshire area by gang members who mistook him for a rival gang member, police said. Anthony Stephanson, 19, died at 10:30 a.m. at Midway Hospital, Detective Bernard Rogers said.

Murder charges were filed later in the day by the district attorney’s office against the two 18-year-old suspects, Jerome Larranga and Sean Thimbrel, who were arrested after last Friday’s shooting.

Rogers said Stephanson and a companion were driving westbound on Olympic Boulevard at La Brea Avenue about 7:40 p.m. when the two suspects pulled alongside. Larranga, who was a passenger in the car, leaned out the window and without provocation fired two rounds, Rogers said. One of the bullets struck Stephanson. Rogers said the suspects were arrested after a short, high-speed pursuit by police officers who witnessed the shooting.