Investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are searching for a suspect who shot and killed a 14-year-old boy at a park in Lancaster earlier this week, leaving his family devastated.
The shooting was reported just after 8:30 p.m. Monday at El Dorado Park in the 44500 block of 5th Street E.
The teen was identified as Benny Gutierrez. His mother, Rosalie Guitierrez, told KTLA’s Rick Chambers that she saw her son an hour before he was killed.
“He was funny, he was outgoing, he was loving, he loved his sisters,” she said.
Preliminary reports suggest that Benny, who was at the park with a friend and several other teens, may have been painting over some gang graffiti on a park wall when suddenly multiple shots were fired from a car in the parking lot.
The 14-year-old was hit once and died at the scene.
His family found out about six hours later through social media.
“My heart dropped because that’s my baby,” Benny’s older sister, Crysta Gutierrez, told KTLA. “I just couldn’t believe it because this pain is so unbearable.”
At 5 feet 10 inches tall and 200 pounds, Benny towered over his sisters and was a budding football player, but also, according to his family, a teddy bear.
“People thought he was this tough guy on the outside, but on the inside, he was just this little kid that was scared of everything,” Crysta said.
Each night since the shooting, friends and family have gathered at the park to honor Benny.
“I know Benny looks big for his age, but he’s just a baby,” said his cousin, Cindy Estrada. “He’s just funny. He loves to eat hot chips. He loves to watch movies. He’s really family-oriented. He’s not a gangster or anything like that.”
The teen’s mother said she has a message for the people who took her son’s life.
“You took a child’s life. My world was him,” she said. “He was my baby, and I was dedicated to him. So, if you’re hearing this, you’re going to get caught and we are going to get justice.”
The family told Chambers that they think they know who did this, though investigators are still collecting evidence and there have been no arrests made in the case yet.
A GoFundMe has been organized to help the family lay Benny to rest.