Fernando Zamorano, a 33-year-old Latino, was tragically shot and killed on August 13, 2016, in East Los Angeles. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. in the parking lot of Lito’s Corkroom, located in the 6000 block of East Olympic Boulevard. According to the Los Angeles County coroner’s records, Zamorano was standing in the parking lot when two Latino men walked by on the sidewalk.
Witnesses reported that Zamorano asked the men where they were from, although this conversation could not be confirmed by the authorities. One of the men then produced a handgun and opened fire, fatally wounding Zamorano. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:15 a.m. with a gunshot wound.
The investigation into Zamorano's death led to the arrest of two suspects. David Lunar, a 22-year-old Latino, was arrested on September 15, 2016, in connection with an unrelated vandalism case in East Los Angeles. On November 2, 2016, Lunar was charged with murder, attempted murder, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and firing on an occupied building. Joe Garcia, a 42-year-old Latino from La Puente, was arrested on November 9, 2016, outside his home on suspicion of murder. Both Lunar and Garcia were scheduled to be arraigned on November 28, 2016, at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles. Lunar was held on $4.425 million bail, while Garcia was held on $3.09 million bail.
The case highlighted the ongoing issues of violence and gang-related activities in the area. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau continued to seek information from the public to aid in their investigation. Community members were encouraged to provide any relevant details anonymously through Crime Stoppers. The tragic death of Fernando Zamorano underscored the need for continued efforts to address and reduce violence in East Los Angeles.
