Search for gunman continues after father shot to death in front of son in Long Beach
A man was found fatally wounded inside his vehicle in Long Beach, police said Monday.
The shooting was reported at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Anaheim Street and Roswell, according to Long Beach police Lt. Dominick Scaccia said. When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body.
The man, since identified as 30-year-old Palmdale resident Leevi Matuni Maseuli, died at a hospital. He had reportedly crashed into a parked car after being shot.
Maseuli's 7-year-old son was also in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, and he was also taken to a hospital for treatment on non-life threatening injuries. The boy was not struck by gunfire and has since been reunited with his mother.
"To commit such a heinous crime in any circumstance is unacceptable, but to do so on Father's Day in front of the victim's child is even more disgraceful. This blatant disregard for our community will not go unanswered and our investigators are working diligently to identify anyone involved in the victim's death," said LBPD Chief Wally Hebeish in a statement released Monday. "No child should ever have to endure an experience like this and I am asking the public to please speak up with any information, no matter how small, that could help us find those responsible for this callous act of violence."
A motive for the shooting was not known.
Anyone with information can contact Homicide detectives Michael Hubbard and Jesus Espinoza at (562) 570-7244.
