A teen was facing possible charges Wednesday in connection with an apparent gang-related shooting near Banning High School in Wilmington that left a young man dead and two other people wounded.
The gunfire was reported about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Pacific Coast Highway and Broad Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Richard Tafoya, 18, died at a hospital, said coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter.
Tafoya was a former student at the school, police said.
Two teenage boys who are students at the school also were taken to a hospital for treatment and were expected to recover, police said.
LAPD Officer Sal Ramirez confirmed the suspect is a juvenile, but no details on the arrest were immediately released.
Words were exchanged prior to the shooting, said Capt. Michael Oreb, commanding officer of LAPD Harbor Division.
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Wednesday morning, parents and others from the community met on campus with school administration during a previously scheduled gathering. Parents expressed concerns about the brazen shooting so close to campus in the busy intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Broad Avenue.
Word that a suspect had been arrested eased worries somewhat, said one of the attendees, Diana Medel, a Banning alumna and outreach coordinator for the community group "I Heart Wilmington."
Medel and many parents said in recent years they have seen a decrease in gang influence in Wilmington, a working class community adjacent to the busy docks of the Port of Los Angeles.
"I think the community is super resilient, and they come together — not step back — maybe even step up a little more and figure out what they can do to help the kids who go to Banning," Medel said.
