A 17-year-old girl was fatally shot while walking home in Long Beach. Police release video of a suspect
The Long Beach Police Department on Tuesday released video of a man they suspect of shooting and killing a 17-year-old girl last month.
The video, about 55 seconds long, shows a man dressed in dark attire walking past an apartment complex in the 1100 block of Lewis Avenue at 8:20 p.m. March 26, the night that Briana Soto was shot.
Detectives believed the man ran from the scene shortly after the shooting. Soto was wounded and transported to St. Mary Medical Center, where she died of her injuries four days later.
(1/2) We are seeking the public’s help to identify the suspect responsible for the March 26th murder of 17-year-old Briana Soto. The video below shows the suspect appearing to be a male, unknown age,https://t.co/l8JnPwIm6Q
— Long Beach PD (CA) (@LBPD) April 30, 2024
Ana Morales, Briana's mother, told KCBS-TV that her daughter was walking home from work that evening and that she had just finished FaceTiming with her over the phone when the mother heard gunshots outside her apartment.
Police investigators released video along with screenshots of the man during a morning news conference. They hope someone may recognize him and know his identity or whereabouts.
“We are requesting our community’s help to identify the suspect responsible for committing this horrendous crime,” Police Chief Wally Hebeish said in a statement. “To Briana’s family — we will never stop working to find the person who took Briana away from you.”
In a GoFundMe account, family described Briana as a smart and loving girl with a great smile who was loved by her family, friends and co-workers.
"She is very family oriented ... she loves receiving flowers and doing her makeup," the GoFundme post read. "She is the best sister, friend, daughter and granddaughter."
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
