Brian Greene

Brian Greene, a 34-year-old Black man, was a carpenter and a father of three. Those who knew him described him as a funny, loving, and light-hearted family man. Though he lived in Palmdale, Greene grew up in Hawthorne, California, where he still had family. He worked in nearby Inglewood and was a familiar face to the owners of a liquor store he often visited on his way home from work.

On the afternoon of January 19, 2021, Greene stopped at Jack's Liquor Market on the 4700 block of West Imperial Highway. Investigators believe a white sedan had followed him from his home and parked in the stall next to his dark purple Infiniti M37 while he was inside the store. At about 4:10 p.m., Greene returned to his car and sat down. Before he could leave, someone in the back seat of the white car opened fire, striking Greene multiple times. He collapsed just outside his vehicle and died at the scene from his gunshot wounds.

The shooter’s car sped away, heading west on Imperial Highway toward the San Diego (405) Freeway. When Hawthorne police officers arrived, they found Greene in the parking lot. The investigation was soon assisted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau. Detectives recovered surveillance footage that captured the suspect vehicle.

Authorities identified the car as a white 2014 to 2015 BMW 320i sedan with noticeable damage, including a large dent on the rear passenger-side bumper and additional damage above the passenger-side right wheel well. In June 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $10,000 reward for information leading to the gunman. The motive for the shooting remains unknown, and no arrests have been made. As of June 2021, the case is unsolved. Anyone with information is asked to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.