11 Homes Searched in Slaying Investigation

Detectives investigating a drive-by shooting that killed a suspected gang member in Sylmar searched 11 homes of the victim’s rivals Tuesday, seizing weapons and a suspect in an unrelated robbery but making no arrest in the slaying, Los Angeles police said.

Lt. Bernard D. Conine said about 65 detectives and officers assigned to anti-gang units carried out the raids at dawn with search warrants. Police said the searches at houses and apartments throughout the northeast San Fernando Valley were part of the investigation into slaying of Alex Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, 17, was fatally wounded at 12:45 a.m., Sept. 28, by gunshots fired at him from a car while he was walking in the 12400 block of Ralston Avenue. Conine said information from witnesses linked the slaying to a rival gang and detectives obtained warrants to search its members’ homes.

Conine said that during the searches police arrested a 17-year-old boy wanted in an unrelated robbery and also seized two guns and other undisclosed evidence of gang activity. He said neither of the weapons was used in the slaying. The other items seized, however, were still being evaluated and could help lead to charges in the Gonzalez killing.