The daughter of a U.S. Army veteran killed while working in her garden in front of her California home has called for changes to local criminal justice policies that she criticizes for encouraging criminals at the expense of victims.
Mario Morales Moreno, 51, was killed on April 4 when someone opened fire inside his Long Beach home, striking him and another victim, Long Beach police said.
Morales-Moreno was hit in the upper body and died at the scene. Another man was also hit in the leg but survived. On Thursday, Morales-Moreno’s daughter, Fernanda Sandoval, remembered her father as a servant even as she called for change.
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Fernanda Sandoval (center) speaks about her father near a photo of her father, a military veteran, as prosecutors announced charges against four suspects in her father’s murder in Los Angeles on Thursday. (Fox News)
“We appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers, but what we really need is policy and change,” she said, flanked by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon. She said: “Under our current policies, dangerous people are being released into society to reoffend. This is a vicious cycle.”
“In this case, the police have done their job. It’s time for the justice system and politicians to do their job,” she added.
4 suspects arrested
Investigators said the suspects fired multiple shots, but they do not believe Morales-Moreno was the intended target. On Thursday, authorities announced the arrest of four suspects, Jordan Omarion Stokes, 18; Taylor Byron Woods and Tyrell Deshawn Ruden Jr., both 20 years old. and 21-year-old Semaj Lamar O’Brien.
The prosecutor’s office said, “The murder was deliberate, deliberate, and premeditated,” and that “Stokes and Louden Jr. personally used the handgun.” Authorities recovered multiple firearms during the arrest and believe the shooting was gang-related.
All four suspects are charged with the death of Morales-Moreno and the attempted murder of four others in Long Beach. They are each being held on separate $2 million bail.
Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said, “Gang-related violence has no place in any part of our city. This callous criminal act forever changed the lives of Mr. Moreno’s family.” .
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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon is running for re-election amid harsh criticism and concerns about crime. (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
As the county’s top prosecutor, Gascón has drawn scorn from opponents and many in law enforcement circles since taking office in 2020, including banning prosecutors from attending parole hearings, pushing for zero-cash bail, and working to end It has enacted a series of criminal justice directives that bring together the following: He prosecutes juveniles like adults, even for violent crimes.
Residents living in fear
Sandoval said Los Angeles County residents are living in fear.
“We no longer feel safe in our homes. Current policies do not allow current crime victims to feel justice,” she said, although she did not specifically mention.
Los Angeles County Attorney Jason Lustig has criticized the policies of his boss, Gascon, and said Sandoval’s comments were likely alluding to him.
“I think she was a very sophisticated and dignified person because she knew exactly what she was talking about,” she said. “She really could have thrown it in his face.”
Morales-Moreno worked as a senior law enforcement specialist in the suburb of La Mirada, according to the California Law Enforcement Officers Association. After he retired in 2014, he returned to the city.
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La Mirada City Manager Jeff Boynton said in a statement that Morales-Moreno was “an individual who came to work with a positive attitude, worked well with residents and colleagues at City Hall, and represented La Mirada well.” praised. He especially enjoyed leadership roles such as: “Mario came to the city and enjoyed being a mentor to others in the city’s Department of Public Safety. Mario will be greatly missed.”
