On March 23, 2024, at approximately 10:22 a.m., Long Beach police officers responded to reports of multiple gunshots near 7th Street and Maine Avenue. Upon arrival, they discovered 27-year-old Long Beach resident Anthony Valentino Lopez with a gunshot wound to the upper body. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses provided descriptions of a vehicle seen fleeing the area.
Officers located the suspect vehicle near Anaheim Street and Pine Avenue and conducted a felony traffic stop, apprehending two male suspects and recovering a firearm. The suspects were identified as 33-year-old Alejandro Lara Delgado and 37-year-old Xavier Alexandro Vasquez, both residents of Long Beach. Preliminary investigations revealed that Lopez and the suspects were acquainted and had been involved in a dispute leading up to the shooting.
Following their arrests, Delgado was booked on one count of murder with bail set at $2,000,000, while Vasquez faced one count of murder along with two unrelated outstanding warrants, with bail totaling $2,020,000. The case was expected to be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office for filing consideration. Authorities continue to investigate the motive and circumstances surrounding the incident and have urged anyone with information to contact Homicide Detectives Oscar Valenzuela or Leticia Gamboa at (562) 570-7244.
