Moses Pastemes, a 20-year-old Latino, was tragically shot and killed on January 20, 2016, in the 600 block of East 24th Street in Historic South-Central Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles County coroner’s records, the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. while Pastemes was walking west on East 24th Street. He was approached by two Latino men who shot him before fleeing the scene.
Pastemes was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:56 a.m.
The investigation into Pastemes' death led to the arrest of Juan Perdomo, a 19-year-old Latino, on March 23, 2016. Perdomo was charged with one count of murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. According to authorities, Perdomo and others were tagging in the area when Pastemes confronted them, leading to the fatal shooting. Although Pastemes was known to associate with rival gang members, he was not a gang member himself.
Perdomo pleaded not guilty to the charges on April 8, 2016, and was held without bail. The case highlighted the ongoing issues of gang violence and tagging in the area, drawing attention to the need for community intervention and support. The investigation and subsequent legal proceedings underscored the complexities of gang-related incidents and the challenges faced by law enforcement in addressing such crimes.
