Detwonia Lamond Harris, a 55-year-old resident of Reseda, Los Angeles, was tragically killed on July 25, 2019. Harris was riding an Orange Line bus in Van Nuys when he was shot and killed by Gerry Dean Zaragoza, a 26-year-old man who had embarked on a violent shooting spree. The incident occurred around 1 p.m. on the 6300 block of Woodley Avenue. According to the Los Angeles County coroner’s records, Harris was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:10 p.m.
The shooting appeared to be random, with no prior interaction between Harris and Zaragoza.
Before the fatal shooting of Harris, Zaragoza had already committed multiple murders. Earlier that day, he had killed his father and brother in their apartment in Canoga Park. He also shot his mother, who survived the attack. Following this, Zaragoza fatally shot his ex-girlfriend at a gas station in North Hollywood. The series of shootings spanned nearly 13 hours, creating a wave of fear and urgency among law enforcement and the community.
The Los Angeles Police Department, along with the FBI joint fugitive task force, launched an extensive manhunt for Zaragoza. His photo was widely circulated on social media in hopes of locating him quickly. Zaragoza was eventually spotted by officers around 2:30 p.m. on Canoga Avenue near Gault Street. When confronted, Zaragoza refused to comply with the officers' commands and was subdued using a Taser. He was arrested and subsequently charged with multiple counts, including four counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, and one count of attempted robbery.
The legal proceedings against Zaragoza began shortly after his arrest. On July 29, 2019, he was formally charged by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. The case drew significant media attention due to the brutal nature of the crimes and the random selection of victims, including Harris. The community mourned the loss of Harris and the other victims, with vigils and memorials held in their honor. The investigation into the shootings was thorough, with detectives reviewing video footage from the bus and other locations to piece together the sequence of events.
