PATRICK HEALY

New Video Sheds Light on Shooting That Killed 3-Year-Old in Compton

Newly obtained surveillance video shows the confrontation that led to the deadly shooting of a 3-year-old boy in Compton.

The shooting occurred Saturday during a dispute between two men on the 2800 block of west Alondra Boulevard. Dwayne Christopher Ward, 29, who allegedly fired the deadly round that killed Franklin Ponros, turned himself in to police Monday, but surveillance video appears to show the second man firing first.

Video inside a liquor store shows Ward paying the cashier as the second man walks past him. Both men exchange glances.

The outside security camera captures Ward exiting the store first and going to his parked car. He can be seen reaching over his passenger, though it is unclear what he was reaching for.

The video then shows the second man walking past Ward's car and toward a white car parked behind Ward's. That car was being driven by the second man's girlfriend, said Deputy Charles Moore of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

The second man stops near the trunk and right after another car drives past, he raises his arm and appears to shoot before jumping inside the white car, through the passenger's side.

That's when video shows Ward leaning out of the driver's door of his own vehicle and firing back. The bullet shatters the rear passenger window of the white car, that shot apparently killing Poros, who was in the back seat.

Poro's mother then drives off in the white car. She told authorities that she was not immediately aware that her son had been hit, and she continued to drive before stopping to call for help.

Ward told activist Najee Ali that he fired in self-defense and was unaware there was a child inside the car. He was booked for parole violation.

"As far as we're concerned, both are responsible for the death of baby Franklin," Ali said. "That person needs to be arrested as well for the shootout, and then let the district attorney figure out what to charge him with to apportion the blame.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department homicide detective Joe Mendoza said investigators have questioned the second man, but at this point are not seeking to arrest him. They plan to meet with the district attorney's office to discuss how to proceed.

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