In what should have been a joyous family celebration, a terrible tragedy unfolded in a Canoga Park, California, apartment on the evening of Sunday, June 7, 2026. Ten-year-old Greysen Chavez, a young Latino boy, was fatally shot at his residence. The devastating incident occurred during a family gathering, with some reports indicating it was a birthday party for the children's grandmother.
The community was left in shock and mourning by the sudden and senseless loss of a young life, with a growing memorial of flowers and toys appearing outside the apartment building.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at a residence in the 8000 block of Owensmouth Avenue at approximately 7:15 p.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered a horrific scene inside one of the bedrooms. Greysen, his twin brother Joseph Chavez, and their 37-year-old father, Gabriel Chavez, were all found deceased from apparent gunshot wounds to the head. Investigators recovered a handgun at the scene and determined that the father had shot and killed his two sons before turning the gun on himself in a tragic murder-suicide.
The boys' mother was present in the apartment at the time of the shooting. She reported hearing gunshots and upon entering the bedroom, was confronted by the boys' father who allegedly pointed the handgun at her. He reportedly fired a shot at her but missed before taking his own life. She was not physically injured in the incident. The motive for this horrific act remains under investigation by LAPD homicide detectives. As the perpetrator is deceased, this case concluded as a murder-suicide, with no arrests or subsequent legal proceedings. The incident left a family shattered and a community grappling with the profound loss of two innocent children.
