South Los Angeles has recently experienced a tragic shooting. On Saturday, May 27, 2012, a local barbershop suddenly became the scene of a crime. Around 7:20 in the evening, two men—the 39 year old barber and a 46 year old customer—were standing outside of the shop talking. Suddenly two men identified as wearing red hoods approached these men. After a short conversation, one of the hooded suspects pulled out a gun and shot both the barber and the other man. After the shooting, both hooded men ran off into a nearby neighborhood. They have not yet been apprehended. Tragically the older victim—supposedly the customer—was pronounced dead at the scene. The barber, though, was only injured and, after being treated at UCLA medical center, was released.
Such violence is unfortunately a common occurrence in the Los Angeles area. In 2010 alone, 617 individuals were murdered. This brings the murder rate in Los Angeles to approximately 6.28 murders for every 100,000 people. This is down slightly from 2009 numbers which saw 7.09 murders per 100,000 individuals. Considering the high population numbers that Los Angeles sees—approximately 3.8 million—this number is staggering. The statistics become even more disturbing though, as attention is focused on specific cities within the Los Angeles County. As an example, Compton has a murder rate of 25.91. These statistics developed by the FBI indicate how serious and widespread this type of crime is. The problem does not stop there though, as murder is only one type of crime that Los Angeles experiences.
Though murder has been widely considered to be one of the most serious crimes, all criminal charges should be taken with a proper amount of gravity. If you have recently been accused of a criminal act, it is of the utmost importance that you seek the counsel of a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. A criminal indictment can span anywhere from a DUI to forgery to assault. If this describes your situation, the Law Office of Okabe & Haushalter is the firm for you. As South Bay’s premier criminal defense team, a Los Angeles personal defense lawyer from the firm is ready to fight for you to have a fair trial. With years of combined experience, this firm is well versed in criminal law and seeks a fair outcome for all its clients. Do not take your case lightly; work with a criminal defense attorney who has a tradition of success. Click here to contact a lawyer from Okabe & Haushalter.