Azuma Bennett

Azuma Bennett, a 30-year-old Black man and beloved boxing trainer from Australia, was known for his positive energy and dedication to his community. A martial arts expert who had worked at Sydney’s Bondi Boxing, he moved to Los Angeles about three years before his death to further his career and explore his African American heritage after his father passed away. In L.A., he trained at Fortune Boxing Gym and worked with clients including actor Frank Grillo, who said Bennett "made everybody feel good about training." Friends described him as "one of a kind" and "unapologetically authentic," and his mother remembered him as a "beautiful, genuine" son. He also volunteered his time, offering complimentary boxing classes to help children in difficult circumstances build confidence.

On the morning of August 12, 2022, Bennett was shot and killed outside a marijuana dispensary in the Windsor Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. At approximately 9:45 a.m., deputies from the Marina del Rey sheriff’s station responded to a call on West Slauson Avenue and found Bennett lying in a doorway with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He was unarmed at the time of the shooting, which his family called "senseless." The tragedy occurred just weeks before Bennett was scheduled to fly home to Australia for the first time since his move to attend a friend's wedding.

News of Bennett's death sent shockwaves through the fitness communities in both Los Angeles and Australia. Friends and colleagues remembered a man who lit up every room he entered. To help his family with the unexpected financial burden of repatriating his body, friends established an online fundraiser that quickly surpassed its goal. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau launched an investigation into the killing.

After six weeks of diligent work, investigators identified and apprehended a suspect. On September 22, 2022, authorities arrested Gabriel Alvarado, a 24-year-old Hispanic man from the Los Angeles area, for the murder of Azuma Bennett. Alvarado was taken into custody and charged with the killing.

Alvarado pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. He was held in custody with his next court appearance scheduled for November 21, 2022. As of late September 2022, the case against him remained pending in court.