Isaias Vasquez Bazan, 32

Died Aug. 12, 2007 at 1:22 a.m.

Isaias Vasquez Bazan, 32, a Latino man, was killed at 937 E. 32nd St. south of downtown about 1 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 12. His time of death was listed as 1:22 a.m.

A construction worker and father of two, he was standing with neighbors who were having a beer on the curb. The assailants were driving down the street in a black SUV when the shots were fired. Vasquez Bazan died at the scene. Two neighbors, both Latino men, were wounded and are expected to recover. Anyone with information is asked to call Newton Division detectives at (323) 846-6556.

(Left, his wife, daughter, and brother less than two days after Vasquez's death. His wife heard the shots and came outside. His brother had to tell their mother in Guerrero, Mexico. Vasquez Basan was tall, they said. He was quiet and serious with most people, but lively and humorous with his family, they said. He loved Norteno music. "A happy person," said his brother, Floriberto Bazan.The neighbors wounded in the attack were listed by police as gang members. But Basan worked long hours, and had no tattoos. Photo by Kevin Sites.)

Update: Newton Homicide detectives Johnny Villa and Julio Benavides have cleared this case. The suspects were members of an area gang whose friend had been murdered by rival gang members some time ago. Police think the suspect may have been seeking revenge on this rival gang when they fired upon Vasquez's neighbors, and hit Vasquez instead. Vasquez was, in essence, the victim of a stray bullet, caught in a vengeful gang feud which had nothing to do with him.