Police: Arrests Made in Murder of Melody Ross

By OLSEN EBRIGHT and GENE SILVER

Updated 6:27 AM PST, Thu, Nov 5, 2009

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

Two 16-year-old gang members were arrested on Wednesday night in connection with the fatal shooting of Long Beach Wilson High School honor student Melody Ross following the school's homecoming football game.

The suspects -- one from Long Beach and the other from Bellflower -- are members of a gang that began a fight with a rival gang after the game. Neither were students at either Wilson or Long Beach Poly High School, which faced Wilson.

The suspects' names could not be revealed because they are juveniles, police said.

Ross and two men, ages 18 and 20, were shot about 10 p.m. Friday on Ximeno Avenue, next to Wilson's stadium, where several hundred students had congregated when fights began.

Ross was described by police as ``an innocent bystander who was not involved'' in the dispute that led to the gunfire. She was a junior at Wilson, where she was on the track team and enrolled in advanced placement classes, according to Long Beach Unified School District officials.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a $10,000 reward in the case Tuesday.

Copyright City News Service / NBC Los Angeles

First Published: Nov 4, 2009 5:57 PM PST

Print Email Share TWITTER FACEBOOK

Don't Miss

politics

Nov 20, 2009

Obama in Asia: Style Over Substance

President Barack Obama returns from his maiden Asian swing with none of the concrete accomplishments that White Houses typically put in place before big trips.

Read It

local_beat

Nov 20, 2009

Knock-Off Viagra Among Goods Seized in Raids

Investigators find a huge haul of counterfeit goods in downtown LA.

Read It

news

Nov 20, 2009

Take Your Child to a Heist Day

Surveillance images show a a man holding a toddler during a hold-up.

Read It

0 Comments

{"totSize":8,"payload_type":"json","status":"1","results":[{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"390259_69247422","adminTags":null,"views":609,"createdBy":14085406,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Police: Arrest Made in Murder of Melody Ross","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2649835,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"5 Nov 2009 03:07:10 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"fb_1347245921","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1186632","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"im glad they finnally caught someone that is resposible for my missing friend and classmate"},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"390259_69247422","adminTags":null,"views":609,"createdBy":9257197,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Police: Arrest Made in Murder of Melody Ross","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2649835,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"5 Nov 2009 05:18:00 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"ginny","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1187028","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Thank Goodness people had the willingness to come forward. Tie these worthless people as adults and put them in front of a firing squad in downtown LB and fire away. I have passed the point of believing some of these people are innocent until proven guilty. Gang members, guilty. No trial needed. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this young girl. "},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"390259_69247422","adminTags":null,"views":609,"createdBy":12329328,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Police: Arrest Made in Murder of Melody Ross","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2649835,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"5 Nov 2009 16:16:10 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"All_Hallows_Eve","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1188996","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"They'd better be tried as adults!!! I was waiting to hear something about this on the news, but only heard they were being charged with the murder and bail was set.<br />Children don't carry guns and take lives. Now they can join those they revere in prison."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"390259_69247422","adminTags":null,"views":609,"createdBy":7918844,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Police: Arrest Made in Murder of Melody Ross","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2649835,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"5 Nov 2009 19:23:10 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"anonymous_user","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1190695","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"So we can support them in prison with our tax dollars? I agree, they need to be tried as adults. But California needs to be quicker with dolling out the punishment when and if these "kids" receive the death penalty. We've got hundreds of death row inmates waiting their turn on San Quentin's death row. Only 34 of them have been executed in the past 30 years. Only 34! We really need to take a lesson from Texas, where the executions are fast and furious. I'm sick of my tax dollars supporting these worthless scumbags who are beyond rehabilitation."},{"anonName":null,"pathToMedia":"390259_69247422","adminTags":null,"views":609,"createdBy":12329328,"createdByPathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","assocMediaId":null,"mediaName":"Police: Arrest Made in Murder of Melody Ross","parentThreadId":null,"mediaId":2649835,"tags":null,"anonSiteUrl":null,"assocMediaType":null,"createdAt":"5 Nov 2009 23:24:31 GMT","anonEmail":null,"isVisible":true,"approved":true,"numComments":5,"reviewed":true,"createdByUsername":"All_Hallows_Eve","pathToPreview":"","mediaType":"EXTERNALMEDIA","commentId":"1192668","subject":"","averageRating":0,"body":"Well the law isn't going to be changed before these useless lives are tried for murder...what do you suggest is done anonymous??? <br /><br />How about getting off your butt to help change the laws? <br />If not, maybe you should just accept the way it is and stop whining. "}],"error":"","totPages":2}