Thomas Rankins Jr., 21

Died Aug. 27, 2007 at 10:53 p.m.

Thomas Rankins Jr., a 21-year-old black young man, was shot in the chest and head at 5711 S. Gramercy Place in South-Central Los Angeles at about 10 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, and was taken to a hospital, where he died at 10:53 p.m.

Rankins wasn't a gang member. He was a laborer. He was just standing in a group, and got hit, said LAPD 77th Street Division Det. Carlos Velasquez. The suspect is a lone black man or youth who attacked on foot.

Update: Anthony Parker, 20, a young black man, has been arrested and charged with murder in this case. Parker was a gang member, shooting into a group of what he thought were rival gang members, but the only man hit, Rankins, was not. Credit for the clearance goes to LAPD 77th Street Dets. Leo Kerchenske and John Zambos.