Authorities seek public’s help in probe into fatal shooting of 13-year-old Pasadena boy

As detectives worked connected leads successful the play fatal shooting of a 13-year-old Pasadena boy, metropolis and schoolhouse officials pleaded for the public’s assistance Monday successful uncovering the fishy oregon suspects.

Iran Moreno-Balvaneda, who was a pupil astatine Blair School, was playing video games successful his location successful the 900 artifact of North Raymond Avenue connected Saturday nighttime erstwhile shots were fired nearby. Moreno-Balvaneda was deed and aboriginal died astatine a hospital.

Citing the ongoing investigation, constabulary haven’t released galore details astir the shooting oregon a imaginable motive. However, investigators don’t judge the lad was the intended target.

Memorial candles were lined up Sunday greeting adjacent the Pasadena location of a 13-year-old lad killed by a stray slug portion helium was playing video games successful his chamber connected Saturday night, Nov. 20, 2021. (Photo by Eric Licas, SCNG)

“No crushed for america to judge helium was a target,” Pasadena Police Chief John Perez said Monday. He described Moreno-Balvaneda arsenic a straight-A pupil and a large kid.

Brian McDonald, superintendent astatine Pasadena Unified School District said helium was shocked erstwhile helium recovered retired astir the shooting.

“You ne'er privation to perceive astir a young kid being killed particularly successful that manner. It’s hard to wrapper your caput astir it,” McDonald said.

He offered his condolences to the household of the unfortunate and pleaded for the nationalist for help.

“I would inquire anybody with accusation connected who pulled the trigger, delight telephone the police, ” McDonald said. “We truly request this to beryllium solved and for those who committed this to beryllium brought to justice.”

Councilman John Kennedy said they person mislaid an guiltless beingness successful Pasadena.

“His household is beyond grief, and we are not acold down them successful the anguish that fills our hearts.Our assemblage and its radical are successful sorrow,” Kennedy said successful a statement.

Kennedy urged the shooter to crook themselves in. He besides addressed anyone who was with the shooter oregon anyone who knows the shooter to crook the fishy in.

“It does not substance if this antheral is Black, brownish oregon white. It does not substance if helium is ina pack oregon a lone wolf. It does not substance if helium is young oregon old. Turn him in,” Kennedy said.

“As divers peoples and divers communities, we indispensable basal up and basal together.Justice indispensable beryllium done; it is up to america to talk retired and not stay silent. If you cognize something, accidental something. Turn him successful and extremity this madness.”

The schoolhouse territory is readying to marque counselors disposable to schools, much than apt erstwhile students travel backmost from the Thanksgiving holiday, according to McDonald.

There were 66 documented shootings this twelvemonth successful Pasadena, said Lt. William Grisafe, spokesperson for Pasadena police. Three radical died and 16 radical were injured successful those shootings, helium added. He said immoderate of the shootings were gang-related but helium didn’t person the nonstop figure.

The archetypal fatal shooting happened March 13 successful the 2500 artifact of East Foothill Boulevard. A antheral walked up to a parked car and opened fire.

Bernardo Cortez Velasco, 23, of Azusa died the adjacent time astatine a infirmary from gunshot wounds to the head, cervix and chest, according to the coroner’s office. The 2nd idiosyncratic sitting successful the car, a 19-year-old Duarte woman, was treated astatine the country for insignificant injuries. Police aboriginal arrested 2 men.

On Oct. 25, 2 men were critically wounded successful a shooting successful the 1000 artifact of Summit Avenue. Callers reported proceeding gunfire astir 9:50 p.m.

A 3rd victim, who was not injured, took the 2 wounded men to a section hospital, constabulary said.

One of the victims, 24-year-old Jamal Patterson, died connected Oct. 28.

Saturday’s shooting is not the archetypal clip residents were deed by stray bullets.

A pistillate was shot successful the leg portion successful her surviving country with her 2 children connected July 8. Police said she was not the intended target. The fishy had changeable astatine a antheral lasting successful beforehand of a adjacent location successful the 1800 artifact of Navarro Avenue.

And a 10-year-old lad playing successful his beforehand gait successful the 300 artifact of Parke Street was shot respective times connected Feb. 14.

His mother, Gabriela Joya, said seconds earlier the shooting, her lad stepped retired of the location to bent retired and play successful the beforehand gait wherever his older brother, begetter and uncle were. She heard a batch of gunshots and ran outside.

“My lad had been deed and present we were trying everything we could to marque definite my lad could clasp connected until paramedics could arrive,” she said.

Police arrested 2 suspects successful May for this shooting.