Samuel Beckner, 60

Died June 19, 2008 at 5:13 p.m.

Samuel Beckner, 60, a black man, died from blunt force trauma to the head at County-USC Medical Center at 5:13 p.m. Thursday, June 19.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Beckner was involved in a fight with a young black man outside a homeless shelter in the 500 block of San Julian Street about 11 a.m. Monday, June 16. The young man, police said, punched Beckner in the face. Beckner collapsed and his head struck the pavement and he suffered a massive concussion, authorities said.

On Monday, June 23, police sought the public's help in the capture of the young man who punched Beckner. According to Lt. Paul Vernon of LAPD's Central Detective Division, a surveillance camera captured part of the argument, but the young man's face was out of frame.

"We clear a lot of crimes downtown thanks to local residents stepping up with information," Vernon said in a statement.

"We hope someone will come forward in this case. We just need a small lead to point us to a suspect."

Beckner's death is the fourth homicide to occur in Los Angeles' Skid Row since LAPD's Safer Cities Initiative — under which 50 officers were assigned to the area — began two years ago. The last homicide in Skid Row occurred in September, when a passerby found Michael Bell, 47, a black man, stabbed to death along San Pedro Street.

Vernon said homicides in Skid Row are down over 40 percent this year.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Central Area detectives at (213) 972-1203