Dontae Cotton, 28

Dontae Cotton Was a good young black man who was not affiliated with any gangs at all. For all who knew and loved him he will be missed. Rest in Peace big Brother .

Krystal, if he wasn't affiliated with a gang, why was he killed like this? Someone wanted him dead!

@ syscom3, gang bangers do not exclusively target other bangers. they tend to go after whomever they come across, so long as they can escape relatively unscathed.

"HUH" ..... the shear number of these homicides in which someone not involved in gangs is gunned down cannot be simply explained away by "mistaken indentities". Many of these victms had to have been targeted for one reason or another.

I've learned over the years of reading this blog, that few families ever admit to their loved ones were indeed involved in gangs, in the present or the past.

I love you very much and all of your family and friends will always keep your memory alive forever I promise.

SYSCOM3 you are just a computer troll.You've got an answer for everything and don't know anything.Urban terrorist and gangbangers DON'T care who they are shooting.You do not have to be in a gang for these guys to shoot you.Your education of crime in the hood, has come from reading blogs on the internet.I've lived in the hood, close to the REAL action and I know from firsthand account and knowledge.I chose to NOT crip or die.I became defensive and quietly defended myself to stay alive.So now everybody has a gun on the streets including citzens who will not be without one while the thugs have no fear of carrying one and getting caught.instead of armchair governing,get out on the street and strut your bad a$$

"Imthe 1youbetterwatch," why do you think I am a troll? Ive been contributing to this blog for a couple of years now.

Do I have an answer for everything? Nope. Far from it. Do I propose solutions? Yup. And I vote and contact my elected representatives on a regular basis. Do you?

Why do I suspect that a good many of these homicides in which someone was gunned down for no reason was actually a "hit" or gang related in some way? You read this blog long enough and eventually someone does dig up the truth about the deceased; in that they had a private life that none of their family knew about. Or, their family was in denial and the deceased was a gangster wannabe or was an actual gangster.

As for "strutting my stuff on the street"? Sorry. Decades ago when I became a man, I put childish stuff like that aside. Intelligent people have better things to do.

Syscom3, it is apparent that you either do not live in the inner city, or you are ignorant to how these crimes really play out there.

I know that some older adults believe that these types of crimes only happen to gang members and those affiliated with gangs, but this is far from the truth.

I no longer live in the inner city, but it is where I grew up and went to school, including my secondary school years. During this time, my best friend was gunned down as he walked from basketball practice. Was he a gang member or affiliated? No. He played basketball.

It doesn't matter if you're in a gang or not. The majority of the time these murderers shout out their "hood" and/or ask their victims where they're "from," only to not even wait for an answer. It's literally a matter of walking or driving in your or someone else's neighborhood, and some scum bag thinking that your life is worth nothing just because he doesn't feel that his is.

syscom3, it is irresponsible of you to try to embed in people's heads the nonsense that claims that only gang members. It gives the false impression that this doesn't happen to our young men on the honor roll, walking their little sister home, or leaving basketball practice. It happens to the best of us!

I read everyones comments. @ Syscom3, I hear what you are saying, but do not prejudge someone. You quote the Bible about putting childish things behind you, so quote the part about judging someone, look at the plank in your own eye. I grew up in Watts, and end up serving as a Military Police in the Air Force. He probably did not bang, but was a victim of where he lived, it happens. God Bless him and his family!

MAN I JUST HEARD OF THIS YESTERSDAY AND,I AM VERY SAD ABOUT THIS DONTAE COTTON I KNOW HIM SINCE GRADE SCHOOL AND WENT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER... LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE SAID HE NEVER GANG BANG A DAY IN HIS LIFE I CAN HONEST SAY THAT.. SAD CASE RIGHT HERE AND SORRY TO HEAR THIS MY HEART GOES OUT TO HIM THE COTTON FAMILY......

MACCAPONE60@HOTMAIL.COM
AIM=MACCA1PONE
TWITTER.COM/MACCAPONE

Yes that is ashame that you can't even go outside from your car to your house before someone pulls up and next thing ya know it's a fight or murder...Sorry that this person had to be caught up and murdered. The way I see it, either he affiliatated with people in a gang, in a gang or possibly gang initiation..U just never know..Killing someone is never the answer that's for sure!

It is a shame that our young men cannot walk around in there own neighborhoods. I live in South Central LA and have a son who is 22 and I fear for his life. It is a shame for me to feel like that.

I have worked in Exposition Park for the last 20-years and I will tell you this. All these kids getting killed with the exception of a stray bullet here and there are related to gangs. It does a disservice to the news and the general perception to say he or she was an innocent bystander. Nearly all these kids either claim affiliation or are affiliated. Offend me if you like. Deny it if you like. I live this truth and will continue till I retire I guess. I bet he dressed like a gang banger and that is good enough to make you a target. There is a war going on in the inner city between minority groups as well as blacks. The solution is not in cleaning the neighborhood but in offering youth centers, community centers, and mentors for the youngsters who start this nonsense from the time they are in middle school.

My heart goes out to Dontae Cotton and his family. We have all made big mistakes by ever taking part in this grave activity. I realized I had enough of gangs in 1993, when I looked back at my six grade picture and almost everyone male on the picture was either dead, in jail or paralyzed. I know first hand that innocent people can get killed but all of my friends that got killed were bangers for sure. Usually the innocent ones went in the house when the street lights came on. I do recall one innocent neighborhood friend getting killed but both of his brothers were affiliated. More people need to speak out against gangs even the church instead of just collecting our money on sunday. Fathers need to take a stand and raise their sons and daugthers in a strong respectable way. Education is the key not fast money. For those who choose to coment with a wise crack about Dontae Cotton, please show his family some respect. If his family say he didn't bang, don't be ignorant and keep insisting he did if you didn't know him. I didn't know him but he could have been my child.

Dontae I cant Believe you been gone almost two months . I'm praying that your killer is found and that you can get some justice . God Knows you were taken to soon . We all miss you so much. The cowards that did this to you will pay one way or another . I dont see how they can live with themselves. But i Know your in heaven with the angels. Rest in peace sweet man.

may the person that did this to you burn in hell, God Knows and sees all. They will not get away with what you did . this was a very senseless murder that happen to a very sweet man that would never hurt anybody in a million years. I hope you guys feel bad for what you did . I'm praying your killer is found dontae and may you be with God . Rest in Peace Sweet man.

THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE WORK OF THE 60 NAPPS OR THE 55 NAPPS, THEY THOUGHT THEY GOT A 62 BRIM

I think he was mistaken for a gang member i hope whoever did this reads this and realize you guys took a special person from the world and i hope the guilt of doing this haunts you for the rest of your lives.Dontae was the sweetest person he did not deserve a early transistion from the world. May God save your soul before its too late.Dontae you will forever be in my heart .Rest in Peace

Damn! DissedCom3 sure got quiet huh?!?! Good job Fellas!

Unless you have absolute proof that a victim banged, don't tarnish their reputation and disrespect the family!

RIP Dontae!

please anyone with information leading to the arrest of the person who killed my brother please contact the los angeles police department the city put a 50,000 dollare reward please call 877 -LAPD 247 you can remain anonymous i know someone knows something

happy 29th birthday dontae

Why dont all the good people in the hood take over your streets and eliminate this cancer from our streets?

i knew donte he lived in tha hood, he wanted to be from tha hood and got put on back in 2000, but he stop bangin a like 6 months later, he knew it wasn't for him, we knew it wasn't for him, so tha homies respected that he didn't want no part of brim, i be in tha hood almost everyday and he didn't hang out or associate with homies, at tha most he would be in his car and just give a head nod rest in peace he didn't die for no color, im from brim i know

— mr harvard
So after all, he did gang bang.

— WhereIsHeAt
What do you think about that?

So after all that bickering it turns out he was a banger at least for a few months. No matter what amount of time he banged, he still banged at some point in his life and it came back to haunt him.

@ Meck & Sycy. Y R U on here if it's not something that pertains 2 U or ur perfect life. I just heard about this. I use 2 play bball @ HP. I remember this kid when he was a Shorty. I had just moved 2 L.A. from Chicago & almost got killed because I didn't know the boundaries. Just like u don't know yours. Y discuss things that have absolutely nuthin 2 do w/u. 4 sumthin that's suppose 2 b stupid, It's holding ur attention 4 a long time.

R.I.P Joseph.

"-A", you are exactly right. People talk about things they have no business talking about every day! I'm getting sick of it. A couple of days ago, I heard some people talking about the war in Afghanistan. I look over and they're like 50 years old. No way they were ever in Afghanistan. They need to shut their mouths. Today on the train, I saw 2 guys talking about the San Francisco 49er's. I looked over. No way they played for the 49er's! They need to STFU!!! They weren't no football players. Why they talking about that? The 49er's don't have anything to do with them - don't even know they exist! Last night I'm watching Tv and some guys talking Obama this and Obama that and Romney said this and Romney said that...I'm thinking, WTF!!! You don't know Obama, you don't know Romney - why you talking about them? Happens every day. I. Just. Try. To. Keep. Calm. People sticking their noses in everyone else's business. What's this world coming to?