Going for a Sweep
Police say that in a two-day spree last month, Cesar Javier Arevalo, 17 years old, tried to kill two people. One was a mature, middle-aged gentleman who appeared to be a random victim, and the other was a rival gang member. Mr. Arevalo may have won a Bravery Badge from his gang for his bold acts, said a police spokesperson, but the victims are expected to survive nicely. Mr. Arevalo has been charged — as an adult — with attempted murder in both cases, with a street-gang enhancement. His $3 million bail is likely to keep him safely tucked away in the County Jail in downtown Los Angeles for the foreseeable future. For strategic purposes, police declined to identify the names of any gangs they believe are linked to either crime.
Nightmare in the Daylight
Police believe that Mr. Arevalo was the assailant in a highly unusual scenario near the top of Culver City Park on Monday, May 15. At the lunch hour, as thefrontpageonline.com reported at the time, Jose Merino drove his brawny Chevrolet Suburban to the upper outlook in the park, intending to take a brief nap in his car. He rolled into a parking area next to a much smaller black Honda. Police say that Mr. Arevalo was in the passenger seat of the Honda and his 18-year-old friend, Jessica Mendoza, was behind the wheel. Taking no further notice, Mr. Merino dozed off. Soon, he was jolted awake by an insistent tapping on the window on the driver’s side. Allegedly, it was Mr. Arevalo, toting a gun and harshly ordering Mr. Merino to surrender his van. Not only did Mr. Merino immediately realize the peril he was in, he noticed that the Honda was positioned in such a way as to make a fast escape. Reacting swiftly himself, Mr. Merino attempted to speed away, at which point police say Mr. Arevalo fired at least one round of bullets, narrowly missing Mr. Merino. The victim followed the suspect and his friend out of the park. He kept the couple in his sights long enough to be able to provide police with a detailed description.
Where Gangs Are the Home Teams
Two days later, on Wednesday, May 17, Culver City police and the LAPD responded to a call of a shooting on the bicycle path adjacent to Ballona Creek, just west of Sawtelle. This region, not far from the notorious Mar Vista Gardens, long has been regarded as a fertile playground for gang wars. Carlos Garcia, an alleged gang member, said that he had been shot by another young man.
The Puzzle Gradually Comes Together
As Culver City officers explored several likely escape routes, they spotted, of all things, two women running along the bike path, away from the shooting scene. Immediately, they were suspicious. Two other Culver City officers, patrolling separately in that area, espied a black Honda, which looked familiar because of the attack on Mr. Merino in the park 48 hours before. Meanwhile, the investigating cops, stopped the fleeing girls on the bike path. A search uncovered a handgun and other unidentified evidence that that linked one of the two, Ms. Mendoza, to the Culver City Park assault. She is believed to have led them to Mr. Arevalo. Ms. Mendoza has been charged as an accessory to the attempted murders. Her bail has been set at $50,000.
