Authorities appealed for the public’s help Wednesday to solve the killing of a man who was gunned down in August in what detectives believe was a gang-related crime.
Miguel Prado, 23, was fatally wounded about 1 a.m. Aug. 18 near Willowbrook Avenue and Caldwell Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
At a news conference Wednesday morning, detectives said they believe Prado was the victim of a gang-related shooting, although he was not associated with gangs.
“Today, I stand before you with a heavy heart, as we grapple with a recent tragedy within our community …,” Compton Mayor Emma Sharif said. “My deepest condolences go out to the family of Miguel Angel Prado. … He made an impact on our community.”
Prado recently had obtained a security guard license, and had been working at a facility for veterans, Sharif said.
Sheriff’s officials said Prado had returned home from work in Los Angeles with his girlfriend, and the pair were sitting outside his apartment in an SUV, which was parked on the south side of Caldwell Street. As they talked, a light-colored sedan being driven west from Tamarind Avenue stopped nearby and a man approached the SUV.
Seeing the man, Prado quickly started the SUV and tried to drive away, but he was shot multiple times in the upper body, causing the SUV to collide with a parked vehicle on the north side of the street, sheriff’s officials said. The light-colored sedan was then seen being driven away from the scene west on Caldwell and south on Willowbrook Avenue.
Prado was pronounced dead at the scene. It was unclear if his girlfriend suffered any injuries.
Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.