On August 20, 2024, at approximately 9:50 p.m., 39-year-old Deveon Foster was fatally shot inside a smoke shop located at 8651 Figueroa Street near Manchester Avenue in the Vermont-Vista area of Los Angeles. According to witnesses, two men in their twenties entered the establishment, approached Foster and another male victim, and opened fire multiple times before fleeing the scene. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) initiated an investigation into the double homicide, considering the possibility of gang-related motives. During the course of their inquiries, detectives identified 43-year-old Dennis Bracamontes as a suspect in the murders. On August 20, 2024, just before 2 p.m., undercover detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) located Bracamontes during a surveillance operation in the 14700 block of Firestone Boulevard in La Mirada. As Bracamontes and a female passenger attempted to leave in a vehicle, detectives intervened to arrest him. Bracamontes allegedly pointed a handgun at the officers, prompting one detective to discharge their firearm. Bracamontes sustained minor injuries from shattered glass fragments and was subsequently taken into custody. A Polymer 80 9mm handgun was recovered from his vehicle.
Following his arrest, Bracamontes received medical treatment for his injuries before being booked on murder and additional charges related to the deaths of Foster and the second victim. The female passenger was detained but did not sustain any injuries during the incident. The LASD, along with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, is conducting independent reviews of the officer-involved shooting as part of standard procedure.
The investigation into the murders of Foster and the second victim remains ongoing. Authorities are working to determine the exact motives behind the shootings and to identify any potential accomplices. Community members with information related to the case are encouraged to contact the LAPD to assist in the investigation.
