One of Two Men Fatally Shot During Long Beach Break-In Identified

One of Two Men Fatally Shot During Long Beach Break-In Identified
Crime scene tape in California on March 11, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)
City News Service
3/29/2021
Updated:
3/29/2021

LONG BEACH—The coroner’s office March 29 released the name of one of the two men shot to death in Long Beach by a man whose home they allegedly broke into.

DeCorion Sanders was 17 years old, according to the coroner’s office. His city of residence was not known.

Officers responding to an assault with a deadly weapon call at about 5 p.m. March 27 in the 3700 block of East Esther Street came upon two men with gunshot wounds to the upper body, said Lt. Eric Matusak of the Long Beach Police Department.

Arriving paramedics pronounced both men dead at the scene.

“An adult subject who discharged his weapon at the subjects, he remained at the location and is cooperating with the investigators,” Matusak said. “The exact motive [of the shooting] remains under investigation. However [the shooting] is being investigated as possibly gang-related.”

A subsequent investigation revealed that at least six men forced their way into the Esther Street home, where during an altercation inside, a man fired at the assailants, striking two of them, according to Long Beach police.

One man was found shot dead inside the residence, police said, and the other was located shot dead on the front walkway of the home. The remaining men fled the scene either on foot or possibly in a vehicle.

“Detectives served a search warrant on the residence and seized large quantities of marijuana, firearms and cash,” police said. “Detectives will continue to work to determine responsibility for any other crimes that might be related to this incident and will present any findings to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office for filing consideration.

“At this time, there is no indication that the resident is known to the suspects.”

Long Beach police homicide detectives urged anyone with information regarding the shooting to call them at 562-570-7244.