LOS ANGELES, Calif.–The City Council unanimously approved a $50,000 reward today for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the apparent gang-motivated murder of a 21-year-old man last summer.
Jason Pervis Randle, who was not a gang member, was gunned down outside his apartment complex in the 7000 block of S. Hoover Street the night of Aug. 7, 2010. He was approached by suspected gang members, one of who produced a gun and fired multiple shots around 10:20 p.m., police said. The suspects fled on foot.
Randle’s mother, Maxine McGinnie, told the council that “August 7, 2010, was the darkest day of my life.”
“I just want the people that did this to come forward, because Jason may not be the only person that they’ve done this to and Jason may not be the last person that they’ll do this too,” she said. “They need to be stopped.”
The shooting took place as crowds of people packed Mt. Carmel Park in South Los Angeles for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Summer Night Lights, an event intended to reduce gang violence by keeping parks open late and offering food and programmed activities.
LAPD Detective Refugio Garza said four to six people are believed to have witnessed the shooting, but most have not been located. He said at least some residents in adjacent apartments were probably awake and could offer details that would help in the investigation.
“Unfortunately (the investigation has) come to a dead-end,” Garza said. “We think that Jason was the victim of the local gang members, and unfortunately we think this is the reason why people don’t want to talk.”
Joe Randle said his son was loved by his family, including five sisters and one brother. Randle said his son loved music and was something of a prankster.
“We will never have closure in this matter. We just want justice,” the father said.
Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Detectives Refugio Garza or Yung Mun at (213) 485-1383.
