The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors renewed $10,000 rewards Tuesday for information on the unrelated 2015 shooting deaths of a 22-year-old former Long Beach City College football player gunned down in Willowbrook and a 23-year-old man shot while playing basketball in a Norwalk park.
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas recommended extending the reward, set to expire Jan. 10, in the Willowbrook shooting death of Kejon Atkins.
Late on the morning of July 23, 2015, Atkins, known as Wayne, was walking along the 1800 block of East 126th Street when a gold or silver four-door sedan going east crossed into the westbound lanes. As the car approached, a man opened fire through the rear window. Atkins, who was shot in the head, died four days later at St. Francis Medical Center.
Ridley-Thomas said Atkins had been planning to re-enroll in school and get back on the football team in the fall semester.
The gunman was in his late teens to early 20s, with several tattoos on his back. Two or three other men were also believed to have been in the car, which was last seen going west on El Segundo Boulevard. Surveillance cameras captured images of the car as well as a two-tone, maroon/gray SUV, possibly a Pontiac Aztec, which might have been following along.
Ridley-Thomas urged anyone with information to call Detectives Theodor Baljet or Troy Ewing at (323) 890-5500.
Supervisor Janice Hahn recommended extending the reward, set to expire Dec. 18, in the Norwalk shooting, saying investigators believe it could prompt reluctant witnesses to come forward.
Edwin Morales was shooting hoops at Gerdes Park at 14700 Gridley Road about 9:30 p.m. on July 11, 2015, when he was shot in the neck. He died at the scene.
Investigators said two gang members were seen randomly shooting at other men in the park before running off to a waiting car. Another man was wounded, but survived.
Morales, who lived in Bellflower, had no gang affiliation, according to detectives.
Hahn asked anyone with information to call sheriff’s Detectives Wayne Holston at (323) 574-2437 or Karen Shonka at (323) 574-0762.
Both rewards will be available for at least the next 90 days.
Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous may also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).