Man arrested for alleged July 4th Compton shooting death, investigatiors ask for public's help in 2nd shooting death
A 54-year-old man from Los Angeles has been arrested for the July 4th Compton shooting death of a 19-year-old woman, while homicide investigators are asking for the public's help in identifying another shooting suspect who they believe is responsible for the death of a 37-year-old man that same night.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna announced the arrest of Antoine Jones for allegedly shooting and killing Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, a University of Nevada college student, while she was at a Fourth of July party in Compton.
Deputies were called to an apartment building in the 700 block of W. Laurel Street at around 11:20 p.m. and found Bordenave-Jenkins suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other teens suffered gunshot wounds outside the apartment complex and survived their injuries.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Jones has been charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder, along with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Jones is also suspected of being involved in an Anaheim car-to-car shooting on June 29 in Anaheim, related to a "domestic dispute involving a female," according to Anaheim Police Chief Manny Cid. He said that investigators quickly identified one of the gunmen as Jones, and they worked with the sheriff's department "in identifying Mr. Jones" as being a suspect in the Compton killing.
Inside the apartment complex on July 4, deputies found the victim, Eric Washington, a community violence intervention advocate, suffering from a gunshot wound. Investigators learned later that another man had also been shot during the incident, but he survived his injuries.
"Tragically, Mia and Eric did not make it," Luna said.
Washington was a former field deputy for California Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson and a community activist who worked with the city's youth. He also worked with the Watts Gang Task Force and the Watts Rising Collaborative.
"As detectives worked tirelessly to piece together what occurred, they determined the two shootings happened moments apart but appear to be separate and unrelated acts of horrible violence," Luna said.
As the investigation continues, authorities have asked for public assistance to help locate the suspect or suspects responsible for the death of Washington and the attempted murder of the other male surviving victim.
Compton city officials also told CBS LA that Jenkins was a nursing student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Anyone with more information was urged to contact LASD's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500.
