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Long Beach police release suspect video, asking for help to find shooter of 17-year-old

Long Beach police release suspect video as murder investigation of 17-year-old continues
Long Beach police release suspect video as murder investigation of 17-year-old continues 02:03

Long Beach police released video Tuesday of a man they believe to be connected to the March 26th murder of 17-year-old Briana Soto.

Police said a suspect approached Soto around 8:30 p.m. as she walked home from work, and was just steps away from her house, when she was shot.

Soto's mother Ana Morales said she had just gotten off the phone Facetiming with Brianna when she heard gunshots outside their Long Beach home. When she called her daughter back on the phone, a man answered, but she could not understand his English.

Soto was hospitalized for four days before dying from her injuries.

Tuesday morning, Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish asked for the public's help in identifying the man in the video, who police believe to be the suspect.

"I'm the father of a daughter, I'm a husband to a wife, I'm a public servant to the community, and this is devastating for this family, as it would be for any of us. It is unfortunate, it is tragic," Hebeish said.

"We're not going to stop investigating this crime until we find the person responsible for taking Briana's life. "

Police say the suspect ran from the scene, removing several pieces of clothing as he fled. In the video, the man in question is wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, with a mask on his face.

Homicide investigators do not have a motive for the shooting.

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