A shooting on the corner of Cesar Chavez Avenue and Mission Road Friday morning left a man dead and a woman injured. Police have identified the deaceased victim as 23-year-old Michael Rodriguez.
At around 8:15 a.m., two unknown suspects driving a car described as a dark-colored Dodge Charger fired multiple rounds at Rodriguez and a 52-year-old woman who were standing at a bus stop in the 500 block of N. Mission Road, said officer Wendy Reyes.
New information released by police revealed that the passenger suspect exited the car, walked up to the victims who were with two companions, and opened fire.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman was taken to a local hospital with a single gunshot wound. Her condition was originally listed as critical, but she is now in stable condition.
Police said it is unknown if the incident was gang-related and have no further information at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call (877) LAPD-247 or (800)222-8477.
My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.
What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.
Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.
The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.
