Homicide Report > Miguel Guzman, 16
Miguel Guzman, 16
Died Sept. 3, 2008 at 4:56 p.m.
Miguel Angel Guzman, a 16-year-old Latino youth, was killed in a gang shooting at 5th and Bonnie Brae streets in the Westlake area of Los Angeles about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3. Above, a childhood picture of Guzman was placed at his memorial shrine.
Los Angeles Police Department officials said in a statement that Guzman, a former Belmont High School student, was walking on the sidewalk when three occupants inside a tan Saturn pulled up next to him. The front passenger of the car asked Guzman what gang he belonged to, the statement said. After Guzman responded with his gang name, the passenger exited the car and shot Guzman in the chest, the statement said.
Guzman was taken to L.A. County USC-Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Officers from LAPD's Rampart Division searched the area within minutes after the shooting and located the tan Saturn in the 400 block of Witmer Street, a block away from LAPD's new Rampart Station. Police arrested Norma Cortez, 43, and a Latino juvenile on suspicion of murder. A third person, a Latino man, escaped and remained at large, the statement said.
"We handle about 40 to 50 cases a day," said Lt. Cheryl MacWillie of the Los Angeles County coroner's office. Not all of the cases are homicides, but MacWillie says, "If there's a body on the street and a body at the hospital, which one do you think will get picked up first?"
On Saturday, flowers, a trucker hat and vigil candles were placed outside of an apartment building where Guzman was shot.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Rampart homicide Dets. John Motto or Michael Arteaga at (213) 484-3650. Callers can remain anonymous.
Photos: Top, Guzman's memorial shrine. Bottom, many of the sidewalks in this part of the Westlake area are dumping sites.
-Ruben Vives/Los Angeles Times
- Neighborhood: Westlake
- Age: 16
- Gender: Male
- Cause: Gunshot
- Day of the week: Wednesday
- Agency: LAPD Rampart
- Race/Ethnicity: Latino
- Circumstance: Walk-up
- Crime scene: Public place
25 reader comments about Miguel Guzman
Rip i don't know ha boy just rest in peace Peace 4 all y'all
April 3, 2010 at 5:22 p.m.
He was a gangster and died as one. I shed no tears for him.
Can the Times follow up on this story and let us know what happened to the people the police arrested?
April 3, 2010 at 7:28 p.m.
Syscom3, you need to relax. This was a 16 year old kid. No one cares if you shed a tear or not??? You didn't know him. Regardless of the fact that he join a gang, he was only 16. Plenty of time to change his life around, had he not been murdered. If you have issues with gang members, maybe you should try to help them change/prevent that deadly path. Instead, you only give hurtful comments after they're dead, when it's too late. One last thought...I assume you were beaten/robbed by gangbangers at some point in your life. Is that why you hate them all?
April 4, 2010 at 9:28 a.m.
Bob O, why should I be concerned about shedding a tear for a gangster? I will save my tears for the victims he and his gang terrorized.
He may have been 16, but he had decided to commit adult crimes. And those crimes are to be considered serious. As such, I judge him as an adult, not a teen.
I am not going to waste my time with gangsters. They're beyond reason. The violence they like to inflict and the violence that is drawn to them means they should be isolated from society.
They're sociopaths. And you cannot reason with a sociopath.
You tell me and all of the readers of this blog, why should we think any different about them? What good have they done for themselves, their families, their neighborhoods and the state.
April 4, 2010 at 9:09 p.m.
Syscom3, specifically what crimes did Miguel commit? All that you know about him is that he was a gang member who was murdered.
April 5, 2010 at 8:17 p.m.
Bob-o, you are kidding right. What good do gang members do to society. Either you are dealing, using drugs, stealing, shooting, or hurting others.
April 7, 2010 at 9:30 p.m.
Bob-
He was in a gang, and as such, contributed to and perpetuated the terrorization and destruction of lives, families, and neighborhoods that we get to read about here everyday.
April 7, 2010 at 9:48 p.m.
Bob-O,
gang bangers are the reason so many crimes are committed in certain areas. 16 years old or 36 years old they are still doing some of the same crimes. By the way this person was 16 and the most recent picture the family could come up with was a picture take years ago? Or was this the last picture of a innocent kid? May be all the ones past this age were clear shots of a person on the way to being killed before his 18th birthday?
April 8, 2010 at 12:29 a.m.
D.A REJECT EVERYONE INVOLED OR CAUGHT HAVE BEEN RELEASED CUS THEY REALLY NICE PEEPS JUST LIKE ALL OF RW.THEY SAY ROCKWOOD THIS ROCKWOOD THAT BUT THEY ACTUALLY NICE PEOPLE.HE WAS FROM EIGHTEEN IN CASE SOME ONE WAS WONDERING.
April 13, 2010 at 12:06 p.m.
To All the people talking sh*** about my brother. He wasn't a bad person . he might of done mistakes but he never hurt no one , i swear to god , he was so innocent. he was only 16 he didn't do nothing wrong . he was just a kid, every kid changes if you show them all the love you can , he was there at the wrong time and day . you people dont know the pain we still feel till this day . if you dont care then dont leave comments here . because saying what your saying , one day you will lose someone you love very much . god will punish the people who need to be punished , and when you feel the pain we do , like every family feels for there lost ones. especially how it feels to read this comments......
July 21, 2010 at 3:33 p.m.
— mely, he was a 16 year old gangster. He was a criminal in every sense of the word. He represented a criminal enterprise.
Don't start telling us that "he was harmless" because he wasn't. The life he chose was one of terror and violence.
The many victims of his and his gangs crimes can tell you a thing or two about "what mistakes he made".
And yes, we will leave comments here. This is a public blog, not the obituaries.
July 21, 2010 at 5:06 p.m.
I have never heard of a "Nice " gangster. I've only seen and heard the ones that stab or shoot a kid or an old lady when they rob them.
July 22, 2010 at 11:45 p.m.
-mely: an innocent gangster...please?
Feb. 2, 2011 at 10:36 p.m.
Its sad to see that picture of Miguel as a child with his whole life in front of him, only to lose it to the gang lifestyle. Tragic.
April 20, 2011 at 8:43 a.m.
It is sad that another youth took the wrong path. But, as syscom3 - I will shed no tear.
Before you start with your response I want you to know that I am a Latino that grew up on Washington and Crenshaw with gangs such a 18 street, school yard Crips, Mid City, MS and old school gangs such as Harpies, Playboys, and Crazy Riders. During a time tagging crews such as TIK, FMA, and USV were being forced to become muscle for the gangs they were in. I went to LA High where I walked blocks infested of dealers and witness the violence that surrounds gang culture.
But - guess what? My parents where involved in my life and spent the early years of my life instilling true family values and thought me between right and wrong and to always work hard because the easy life is the gang life and it is short lived.
I chose to work hard and not pick the easy life of running with gangs. Gangs don't waste their time trying to recruit someone who does not have a need to be running the streets after 9 PM when their are 14 years old.
Parents will see their "nene" (son) with the gangster pants and short hair and claim their soon is good son. He might be a good person but is living a false life a thug.
I now live in Westlake Village with my kids raising them with the same values my parents raised me.
When a youth joined a gang it was choice and because his / her parents failed them.
I see parents tired from working long hours and use the TV as the babysitter. My parents worked 2 jobs and regardless of how tired they were. They always made sure my homework was done and never allowed me to dress as a thug even if that was the trend.
My tears are for those soldiers and the victims of violence.
But, every life has a value even if we don't share a tear. It is always sad to hear the death of someone. I will always put the blame on the parents for not being the moral compass. #my2cents.
Send me your hate mail.
June 15, 2011 at 10:02 p.m.
"My Adam" by Tracy Lamont
I walked away that morning, without a backward glance,
I didn't know that moment was going to be our last.
The last time I would hold you or see your lovely face,
The last time I would kiss you and feel your strong embrace.
So solid and so real,so vibrant and alive,
A happy face with twinkling eyes, my fine young man, my child.
My first-born son, my Adam, the apple of my eye,
so cruelly taken from me, I never said goodbye.
The shattered remnant of my heart is strangely beating still,
with holes so black and fathomless no light could ever fill.
I don't know how I face each day without my darling boy.
Gone is all the happiness, the love of life, the joy.
The years stretch on before me, so bleak and dark and long,
I pray you walk beside me, son, and help to keep me strong.
And when my life is over, come to me on that day,
and smile at me and hold me tight and carry me away.
The wind that whispers through the trees, the brightest star at night,
a rainbow on a dismal day, a shaft of golden light,
All these are signs you send to me, a message from above,
that even death can't break the bonds of Son and Mother Love...
July 28, 2011 at 6:49 a.m.
You ppl are so rude! Keep your rude comments to yourselves...This is a sensitive place and ppls families are reading this! Dont you think they suffered enough and for you ppl to throw this in their face shame on you! what good are you doing there dead already so shut up especially you syscom3....you seem to live on here its obvious you need to get a life go do something with yourself ..i bet you are one lonely person! smh
Sept. 13, 2011 at 2:49 a.m.
Tammy, this is a public blog about homicides. it is not the obituaries.
This too is a place for the public to vent their anger and hatred at the barbarians who are destroying our society.
If you feel the deceased's family and friends are offended for hearing the truth, then tough. We the readers only have words. The gangsters have bullets and terror.
By the way, do you have any words of sympathy for the many victims of the deceased's gang?
Sept. 13, 2011 at 7:50 p.m.
— Tammy
This is not a place for sensitivity. It's a public forum and people can leave their comments here as they please. Whether they are sensitive or harsh.
Sept. 14, 2011 at 9:15 a.m.
Where are the parents? Why do we allow our young children to be brainwashed by these gang memebers? If we would give our children the time that these sick individuals do, the world would be a much better place. Let's teach our children about integrity and get them off the streets. We're slowly losing a grip on our humanity. As a Latino father and member of this society and great country, we need to show our children a better way. I was raised in Compton and still bear signs of gang affiliation. I have tattoos and scars from being shot many times. And now my children see them and ask me about them. I sit them all down and explain to them how our decisions can and will affect the rest of their lives. I got out. But unfortunately many others like Miguel don't get that chance. I know Miguel was not innocent. I know what gang members do....I say that not to offend, but to inform.
Sept. 14, 2011 at 10:53 a.m.
@ Dave,
Hate email? Quite the contrary. Your story NEEDS to be shared. Nothing satisfies me more personally regarding gang life, environment and behavior than hearing about someone who understood the choice and chose the harder, correct path.
May God bless you for your decisions, your parents for putting the time in and those like you who make a difference.
@ Tammy,
Syscom and Meck are right. Sometimes it is harsh, but sugar coating the facts just adds fuel to the fire. This blog is a place for the public to share their comments and frustrations based on the homicide report published as much as it is for loved ones to share a memory.
Sure, "What the hell do you know? You didn't know him!!!" If you read these blogs long enough there is an obvious pattern that repeats itself endlessly. The pattern of enabling parents, sociopaths with utter disregard and compassion for human life and families stating, "he was a good kid" and "Rest In Paradise".
If you live the gang life, odds are you will end up in jail or dead at an early age. These are statistics that you can argue with all you want to, but the proof is in the numbers.
At any rate, RIP Miguel. It's a shame you didn't choose the harder path.
Sept. 14, 2011 at 1:53 p.m.
syscom3 is correct.
Sept. 15, 2011 at 7:24 a.m.
Concerned Parent, you're totally right. We need to show our children, guide them otherwise they will end up like Miguel. IT IS A PARENT'S RESPONSIBILITY! Move your kids away from this war zones, talk to them daily about the danger of gangs
Oct. 11, 2011 at 5:41 p.m.
Another child was gunned down on the streets of LA. Blessings to him and to his family.
Oct. 14, 2011 at 12:57 a.m.
To Dave you are so lucky that you have had very good parents, but not all have that luck. sometimes when the parents are not there that's when the kids tend to look at those things. I'm happy that you doping better for your kids. I was in a gang as well and i do as much as i can so my kids wont. Yea, see biscuit or syscom3
or what ever you call yourself. Is that a gang name of some sort. yea this kid might had been from a gang but peer pressure is a motha! That dont mean he deserved to die! He still had a chance to change his life and people like you could have helped them do that. You are lost and dont know what you are talking about. I end this.
Feb. 15, 2012 at 11:49 a.m.
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