A fight at a Sunday night house party in Arcadia led to the fatal shooting of a man described by family members as the young father of a baby boy.
Police responded to the shooting call in the 2800 block of Caroline Way about 8:49 p.m.
Arriving officers found the victim on the rear patio of the home suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department stated in a news release.
The 23-year-old man was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. A family member later identified the victim as Gustavo Lopez of Long Beach.
Lopez had attended the party with a group of friends and tried to step in when one of his friends got punched, the family member said. He was shot twice by someone who pulled out a gun.
Lopez, who worked in construction, was married and was the father of a 1-year-old boy, the relative said.
Standing in the front of the home Monday, Lopez’s mother tried to hold back tears as she described her son.
“He was kind. He was goofy, helpful, friendly — too friendly,” she said. “He was helping someone.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to benefit Lopez’s family.
Investigators said the home was being rented out Sunday night to host a party, and neighbors reported there had been several parties at the property recently.
“It appears that there had been an Airbnb party at this location,” sheriff’s Lt. Robert Westphal said.
A spokesman for Airbnb said in an email to KTLA that the short-term rental company does not have a listing at the location where the party occurred and the “incident did not occur during an Airbnb reservation.”
A 23-year-old man was detained for questioning and later arrested on suspicion of unrelated charges, the Sheriff’s Department stated in the news release.
Authorities have not released a description of the shooter or a possible motive. Investigators are searching for witnesses who may have left the home as police were arriving.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department at 323-890-5500. Those who prefer to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
