Prosecutors charge boys as adults in Long Beach shooting

Nov. 6, 2009 | By Frank Stoltze | KPCC
Mercer 1673
KTLA

Tom Love Vinson and Daivion Davis.

Prosecutors Friday charged two 16-year-old boys as adults in last week’s fatal shooting of high school student in Long Beach.

The adult charges mean the two boys could face life in prison if convicted.

Tom Love Vinson and Daivion Davis were charged with one count each of murder and two counts each of attempted murder, said Deputy District Attorney Dean Bengston with the Hardcore Gang Division.

Melody Ross, 16, was gunned down about 10 p.m. on Oct. 30 after the homecoming football game at Wilson High School. Police said Ross was an innocent bystander who was shot when two groups of gang members had a confrontation. Two men, ages 18 and 20, were wounded but are recovering.

The complaint alleges Vinson, who is from Bellflower, personally and intentionally discharged a handgun and that both he and Davis, who is from Long Beach, committed the crimes to further a street gang.

They are being held on $3 million bail each. If convicted, each faces up to life in prison.

If they’d been charged as juveniles, their maximum sentence would be incarceration until age 25.

Prosecutors allege the boys are gang members who got involved in a fight after last week’s football game between Wilson and Long Beach Poly high schools. Police allege one of them fired shots into a crowd in front of the Wilson campus. A stray bullet killed 16-year-old Melody, an honor student and member of the Wilson track team.

Prosecutors say one boy is from Long Beach, the other from Bellflower. They are not students at Wilson or Poly.

Join our community: Like KPCC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get updates and talk about the day's news with other fans.

blog comments powered by Disqus