A 22-year-old man was arrested in connection with a shooting that left two men dead in Carson over the weekend, authorities said.
Raymond Maose of Carson was identified as one of two shooters in what was a gang-related shooting in the 100 block of West 234th Street on Saturday night, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Steven De Jong said.
Killed in the gunfire were 18-year-old Va’afatu Mativa of Gardena, who was found on the sidewalk, and 44-year-old Richard Mata of Carson, who was found dead in his vehicle.
Investigators said they now believe Mata fired first from his vehicle, hitting Mativa, who was standing outside, De Jong said. Maose then shot back, hitting Mata, with Mata’s vehicle then rolling across Main Street before hitting a parked car in the 100 block of East 234th Street.
Investigators initially believed the two decedents may have fired at each other and said they were members of gang factions that “have a history of not getting along,” De Jong said.
However, detectives are still working to determine what specifically led to the gunfire, De Jong said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by going to lacrimestoppers.org.
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