“Two Santa Ana gang members were arrested this morning in the shooting death of a 13-year-old boy, gunned down Wednesday while crossing a street with a group of friends near Santa Ana High School,” according to the L.A. Times.
The SAPD held a press conference where they announced that the victim, Rodrigo Valle, was affiliated with a gang.
I am told that Santa Ana City Manager Dave Ream doesn’t think this shooting was a big deal because the victim appeared to have gang ties. He was 13. Gang affiliation or not this death is a tragedy.
SAPD Chief Paul Walters said, “All major cities are seeing the same thing we’re experiencing here, and the kids are getting younger.”
Yes – they are getting younger. That is evidence that the City of Santa Ana is dragging its knuckles. We are running out of time…
When will our city leaders get serious about turning things around in Santa Ana?
UPDATE:
Here is a link to a video of the SAPD press conference.
Classroom Teacher,
Thanks for giving Rodrigo something to look forward too, even if he wasn’t there quite yet. You may have been one of the few people who ever believed in him. You are in the right place for the next Rodrigo.
If Art Pedroza can get elected and get some of those areas looked into for a real change, that is a start. We can all help the children by getting rid of some of the dead weight in SAUSD and in The Santa Ana City Council.
There may still be some hope for this city if everyone had the integrity of these two people.
I think what Marie opposes is the painting the the boy as an innocent bystander. Like her I too grew up in this city. Like her my relatives were lost to gangs. I saw the pain they caused in my family. I saw the havoc they caused in my neighborhood. I saw people get shot. I saw people die.
I for one have lots of anger toward these gangsters who cause so much pain and I am hesitant to put the blame first on outside sources. My blame is solely on those that made the choice to be in gangs. I stayed away from them. We were a single parent family of 5 living in a one bedroom. I had all the criteria to be in one but how come I did not join? One answer, my mom, and her constant lessons.
One side of me shares Marie’s anger, the other side does see the tragedy of a 13 year old kid getting shot. but again, if he was a gangster, he was not so dumb as to know that he was eventually gonna get hit up. and eventually an enemy gang was going to go after him.
those that blame Pulido and Ream first are naive. The guys on the street are evil. I seen it first hand. The solution should be tough law enforcement (city wide injunction) and early gang prevention ed(K-6) plus holding parents more accountable.
Carlos,
This city’s Chief of Police and everyone else that deals with this issue will tell you that what you suggest alone has been tried and failed.
You not falling into the influence of gangs had to do with many other factors including your mother’s lessons.
From the way that Marie describes herself she tries to make it seem like she’s all high class and has a great education and above everyone else. Has anyone else noticed that aside from her ignorance, she has really poor grammar? She claims she was born here and raised in Mexico City and returned when she was 5. Did her parents come here as immigrants to have her and returned to Mexico and later decided to come back and live a better life? That’s what it sounds like to me. My parents along with my brother and two sisters came to Los Angeles to live a better life. I was the only child born here and I am now 31. My parents worked there asses off and never asked for help just like you claim your father told you not to do but NOT ONCE did they ever put down their own race and say it’s ok to deport people. My father too is originally from Mexico DF and I like I said, he NEVER asked for help, instead he worked his ass off to make a better life for all of us. My parents bought their own house and after years of working, they were able to retire and enjoy what remains of their lives. And before you speak on what occupations they may have had, my mother worked for a major airline and my father was a manager in an engineer company. I too have family that is gang related but I would NEVER cut off any member of my family. You may not agree with how they live their lives but you’re still blood. You have some major issues lady. You should watch what you say because once your sons get of a certain, they will do what they want to do regardless of what you have to think. Did you ever stop to think that maybe that kid’s parents once thought the same way you did? Thinking that they’re child would never get involved in gangs? I may not live in Santa Ana or Downey but I live in the middle of Crenshaw Blvd and Slauson, right smack in the middle of the mix.
Dr. Lomeli and I don’t even believe “Marie” is latino; I won’t even presume it is a “she.”
Vern,
I agree. I believe it is the same person that posts hate at every opportunity with his agenda of anti illegal immigration. He is creative on the personas he makes up. He is persistant in protecting his made up characters.
Take care.
sms:
street terrorism originally was considered when the act was made for political purposes, i.e. contract killing or blackmail. now the term is vague? and this guy (the shooter) did not kill the 13 year old for political purposes. that question about “why isn’t gang violence terrorism?” came up in class and the dr. jeffrey d. simon, a terrorism expert (who also works for the US gov), author of “the terrorist trap” and a former RAND analyst argued that gang/street violence is NOT terrorism. and HE would not use the term martyr when referring to gang violence. anyway, just my thoughts about what i’ve learned. of course i got an A in class. 🙂
CHS –
Wow! That’s great. I’m really happy that you got an ‘A.’ That’s quite an accomplishment!
But have you ever been involved with gangs? Were they a part of your life in any way at any point? Have you ever lost a friend to gang violence? Has the good doctor? I didn’t think so.
I may not have been a member of a gang but they’ve always been a part of my existence. I had many friends who went that route, and some didn’t get out alive. My ex-wifey was a member of La Vida Loca, although she’s been lying to me about it to this day.
It was easy to do since we lived in Boston for so long, about as far away as she could possibly get from negative influences. A triangle of three dots tattoo on her hand, her multiple arrests for theft and drugs and subsequent jail stint, and her generally selfish and narcissistic attitude to this day are only a few pieces of evidence.
So I got an ‘A,’ too… in gang class, as in ‘all up in it,’ not an arbitrary grade from someone who studies it from the outside. Everybody thinks they’re an expert these days, don’t they?
SMS
sms says, “But have you ever been involved with gangs? Were they a part of your life in any way at any point? Have you ever lost a friend to gang violence? Has the good doctor? I didn’t think so.”
i never claimed to be an expert but don’t take it from me, take it from a professor. and yes i have been involved in/with gangs. i went to lathrop intermediate and century high school in SANTA ANA! are you even familiar with those schools? if you know about santa ana, you must. if not ask around. and my friends were involved with gangs. and yes, i lost michael who was my cousin. he was killed in south central. i hope you consider that enough evidence that gangs have been a part of my life too. and my son’s father has the “mi vida loca” tattoo on his hand as well. though he was not part of that gang. still think i have not been around gangs/friends?
just because i graduated from a prestigious university does not mean gangs did not exist in my life. i just happened to make better choices. my mom was not around as she was too busy working for a family of seven since my father passed away. i could have easily been in a gang but i chose not too. want to know where i used to live? are you familiar with minnie street? oh, yeah…still think i know nothing about gangs? think again. or should i use the word you love saying: “nice try.” as a writer in this blog, you have to accept others’ opinion(s). and i think marie can speak for herself. you don’t have to clarify what she is trying to say. or were you trying to justify what she believes?
anyway, don’t make assumptions about other people if you don’t know. i made mine clear (i hope), that gangs have been a part of my life. nevertheless, i respect your opinion and i hope you learn to respect mine too. 😉
CHS –
First of all, it’s not a contest. Pardon me for assuming that someone who had actually been around gangs would have a more enlightened position than yours and that they would share that view with us, not that of a college professor who certainly doesn’t have that experience. Secondly, mi vida loca (sorry) is a girl-gang and it’s likely that my ex joined while in jail. And finally, in regards to your Marie comment. you may not have noticed but I’m sort of a referee around here. I don’t speak for others, but if I feel I can clarify something for the sake of avoiding a misunderstanding, then as a moderator I reserve the right to take that liberty. Sue me.
SMS
OMG!!!:
I never said I’m high class. If you think that of me, that’s great! I’m glad to hear that. Then I guess I am. But like I said, I had to work hard to be where I am. What do you mean when you say ” she tries to make it seem like she’s all high class and has a great education and above everyone else.” I haven’t even told you what my degree is… !!! hahaha. All you know is that I have a Masters. You don’t know as what, but that’s all you know. I am sorry about having horrible grammar, but I didn’t get an English Mayor. Sorry!!! I’ll work on it.
My mom was born here, my was a truck driver in Mexico, so he got a visa and came here to work in the strawberry fields. In 86 he became an Ame. Cit. ok. He took me and my sister to Mexico DF because my mom left us and it was a little hard for him to be watching a 2 year old and a 9 month old baby. So we were raised by a aunt in Mexico city until we turned 5 and 6. I didn’t learn how to speak English until i was like 10. My dad is not a very successful man like your parents. My dad is a regular guy that works at a Vegas Casino. He is a Bartender at the new Wynn Casino. Nothing great, but he makes good money.
Honestly, I didn’t have anyone successful to look up to. My mom’s side of the family were all Gangsters. They had no reason of living. They just smoked drugs, they didn’t care if kids were around. They would say bad words all the time. They would bring their “HOMIES” over. They would ditch school. We had Santanita Gang shoot our house more then once…. Seeing that everyday, made me sick of it.
I SERIOUSLY HATE THEM.
I rather keep them away from my life, then to be near them, and have my kids in danger. Don’t feel sorry for me, Feel sorry for them. They are still living the “Gangster Life”… I feel sorry for them, they have 2 guys doing life, and one of their kid is lost in drugs… And you feel sorry for me because I am having a good life right now??? If me kids turn out Gangsters, which I know they won’t, then they are out of my life. I’m not going back to that, sorry!
I am not raising them to be Gangsters, I am trying to raise them the right way. If not liking Gangsters is Ignorant, then I guess I’m an ignorant mom, and I will teach that to my kids as well. What’s funny is that I don’t really have to worry about that… You really see drama in Downy. That’s why I like it here. It’s very nice. No gang violence. And there is hispanics that live here, I guess we are just educated and know how to educate our kids.
Crenshaw Blvd and Slauson???? WTF are you doing there? Now that’s in the “HOOD”!!!! You see “GHETTO” everyday, so you are pretty much influenced by all the gang violence and you are ok with it right???
Vern and Art,
My opinion is this:
It is great that there are 3 less GANGSTERS in the streets. I don’t care about age, gender or race, Even if they were white, black, or brown.
Just like I am glad my two cusins from FXT are doing life, I don’t care how old they were. It is just two less to worry about.
Vern,
Do you want to meet for coffee or something??? You keep calling me a “HE” and I think you think I’m a white supremacist just because I said that before a pregnant girl starts getting any help from our Medi-cal system, that she needs to get deported???? How is that wrong?
You try to get free medi-cal from Mexico… Will they give it to you?
I haven’t said anything wrong… Why do you hate me so much? Just because I don’t have sympathy for a 13 year old Gang Banger???
Here he is with all his buddies! Look how lovely they look….
http://www.myspace.com/lilyoungster_kpc
So just because I don’t agree on that I am an Idiot… They look like idiots to me.
Vern,
Do you want to meet for coffee or something??? You keep calling me a “HE” and I think you think I’m a white supremacist…
LOL. Envision that, juicers. Oz meets One Life to Live…
This has been a very interesting thread…
This “Marie” caricature is what “she” is, a sad bitter person living a life she loathes. Bitter because her mom abandoned her. Sad because she can’t change her ethnicity(kind of like a Lupe Moreno type, probably fat and ugly too). Knowing that Mexico City is one giant caste system, this “Marie” is wannabe upper class, too bad for her she will never get there. She just ain’t got the edjucasion for it.
I would like to know where she received her Master’s. She should go back and demand a refund!
“… And there is hispanics that live here, I guess we are just educated and know how to educate our kids …”
Give me a break! How does she expect anyone to take her seriously with that kind of lexicon?
Also, she wrote that deportation was the key to stopping violence in Santa Ana. Anybody with a real education knows that gangs have been around for many generations, hence, most members are US Citizens. I seriously doubt families, or even young men for that matter, risk their lives coming to the US with the dream of becoming gang members.
Her other incorrect generalization of ladies dropping off their children for school has more to do with income level rather than race. The same scenario from Flower and Bishop is played all across the country every school day, but with different races including Asians, Blacks, Borricuas, Eastern Europeans, Native Americans, and Whites. Marie, ever been to Georgia, Michigan, or New Jersey? How about Ohio? Didn’t think so. Marie, please tell us how the Government should deport those other poor folks too.
Yes, yes, it’s all so clear now, I see Marie’s point now… We need a War On Poverty!!!
CQT96:
I am just surprised that you guys are all ok with all these guys!!! You guys are defending them like if they are your “HOMIES” hahah.
http://www.myspace.com/lilyoungster_kpc
Look at them… You are an idiot if you are ok with how the parents raised these kids. I am glad I sent this picture to Chief Paul Walters, therefore, no one feels sorry for the young man….
What’s funny is that he died in Vein because he didn’t even represent where he was from, he Chickened out!!! hahahaha. Now that is Lame!
“I seriously doubt families, or even young men for that matter, risk their lives coming to the US with the dream of becoming gang members.”
They don’t, but sadly the parents don’t really pay attention to their kids and therefor they find themselves in gangs. I know gansters before were US citizens, but now, all you see is Paisas being gangsters. Now tell me that isn’t true…
Well, whatever! I am just glad I don’t have to worry about this at home.
Just Answear me this question, WHY ISN’T THERE ANY GANGSTERS IN DOWNY???
Wierd huh??? I don’t get it… Illegals are very low there, do you think that’s the reason???
I am so confused…. “HELP”
CQT96:
I am a sad bitter person because my mom abandoned me??? Are you serious??? Nadamas hablas a lo inutil. Que tiene que ver que mi madre nos abandono desde chiquitas???
That hasn’t stopped my sister and I from accomplishing goals. I hate when people say that, because they use that as an excuse for everything!
I never said I’m high class. I just live in Downy, I have a beautiful home that is costing me and my husband a lot of $$$. My kids go to a fundamental school, I don’t take them to a private school. I look Mexican. I never said I looked white. I speak spanish.
Do you think I’m a bitter old bitch because I don’t feel sorry for that Gangster???
Illegal immigration should be a concern to all American citizens in this election year. With increased anxiety over the economy, Americans should be aware that illegal immigration is expensive — so expensive that it will deprive taxpayers of enormous, hard-earned benefits in years to come.
I live in the County of San Diego (California). Several months ago our Board of Supervisors was presented with a government report essentially saying that detention and apprehension of illegal immigrants who commit crimes in the county cost taxpayers more than $100 million a year. Just to the north of us, in Los Angeles County, a popular area radio station reported that more than 75 medical emergency facilities have closed in the last 18 months because of the overriding costs and non-payment of benefits offered to illegal immigrants.
A few years ago, one emergency ward nurse actually confided in me that the requirement to treat undocumented aliens was hurting her local hospital financially. (Incidentally, some state and federal laws require designated medical facilities to treat all patients, regardless if they can afford to pay.)
Costs associated with illegal immigration continue to mount, yet the Democrat-controlled California Legislature has mandated illegal immigrants into our community college educational system. That system — in which I taught 15 years ago — is mostly subsidized by California’s taxpayers. It is absurd to treat non-citizens the same as U.S. citizens when it comes to taxpayer-subsidized tuition, especially when our state is running such huge fiscal deficits. Yet this practice continues to occur — despite the fact our governor has threatened to cut the state’s budget by up to 10 percent due to budget-related shortfalls. Regardless, our spineless, liberal politicians in Sacramento refuse to eliminate educational benefits to illegal immigrants. We simply cannot afford this madness anymore.
The same problem persists with California’s public school system. State school administrators routinely allow students of “questionable” citizenry into our public school system. (There have even been documented cases where students from Mexico are caught on film coming across the border to go to U.S. schools.) Yet our politicians will not face the truth.
I once chatted with an illegal immigrant who lived and worked in the home as a gardener for a resident in Olivenhain, California. This individual emphatically told me that the school officials where he attended high school never checked his citizenry, but only cared if he “lived” in the district where he was attending school. He, along with countless Mexican and foreign national teenagers, received a high school education — again, thanks to American taxpayers!
This is reprehensible! Yet three out of the four major candidates for president — Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Barack Obama — believe that “amnesty,” as presented in McCain-Kennedy legislation last summer, is justified. That bill essentially said, “Just pay your $2,000 or $3,000 fine — and welcome into the United States.” Americans should be insulted that our political leaders would sell out our citizenship so cheaply. I was at least glad to see that Mitt Romney didn’t agree with this approach, and wanted to enforce the law of the land and build a fence. As for GOP frontrunner McCain, though, he should know better. The price of freedom is costly. It has been preserved by the sacrifice of many and the split blood from our soldiers.
What’s happened to the rule of law? What happened to putting American citizens first before people who knowingly break the law and take advantage of our government’s generosity? (Generosity, by the way, with the people’s hard-earned money.)
In 1991, I met a Cambodian-born pastor who came to America in 1981 (under the sponsorship of friends in Rhode Island) and spent years waiting for American citizenship. His life had been threatened in his native country, and several of his national soccer teammates were brutally murdered by the Khmer Rouge militants in the late 1970s. Literally thousands of people like my Cambodian friend have spent years legally acquiring their citizenship. So why should millions of people who have broken our laws and entered our country illegally basically get a free pass? How can our political candidates give preference to lawbreakers over the millions of Americans who faithfully pay their taxes?
These are serious questions that need to be asked of all our candidates for president. It is time that we as voters understand that, yes, there are people actively breaking our laws. Yes, Hillary — there are “illegal women” who are in this country in violation of our laws. And yes, John McCain — you need to enforce the rule of law instead of ignoring it (via a backroom deal made with his friends in the U.S. Senate). And yes, Barack Obama — change in the name of change is not good unto itself … especially if you ignore our nation’s sovereignty!
Daniel! Daniel and Marie! The very articulate anti-immigrant zealot, and the faux-naif Senora with the bad spelling and punctuation and rough past. Same person? Or just somehow using the same computer?
(Dirty pool, in general. But racists do not get gentle treatment here.)
‘Spose if I went to coffee with Marie I would have run into some Daniel. That’s cool, it was not tempting anyway.
Go find yoursel(ves) some hate site.
Well, whatever! I am just glad I don’t have to worry about this at home.
Just Answear me this question, WHY ISN’T THERE ANY GANGSTERS IN DOWNY???
Wierd huh??? I don’t get it… Illegals are very low there, do you think that’s the reason???
I am so confused…. “HELP”
You should include yourself since the only”PAISA” here is you. Once again another malinche rears its ugly head. Literally
will rip little kid!! even if you were from kpc..
but yea those gangster from fxtroop gang have ben for years they where the first gangs in orange county and the most powerful, tank god that the police has made them turn into small but there still powerfuland they been killing many young people.. the control two parks, but the kick it at el salvador park by 10th street, also there divide into many clicks like barrio artesia,from the park, west fxtroop, east fxtroop, south side fxtroop,f*** the rest gang,they also control streets, stores, so watch out from them because there dangers am an old man and i live in these place for years and the dangers, so at night never pass because i always hear gun shots,just try to not pass from bristol to fairview, main streets they kick it is 2nd st and 9th st and biggest oppside gang is seventh street and as the gang from fxtroop calls them levas street
SEVENTH STREET IS TAKEING THE TRAMPAS FTROOP OUT!DONT WALK DOWN SEVENTH STREET AT NIGHT CUZ U MIGHT GET SHOT…
post 11: classroom teacher,
thank you for recognizing that. He was a friend of mine that i met at Mendez Fundemental. He was a cool kid that looked out for most of his friends
RIP Rodrigo Valle
miss you
Marie is a complete morron. She claims to be college educated, but can’t even spell “Downey”. And claims that there aren’t any “illegals in Downey. I think she should look in a mirror because she will discover at least one in her beloved city.
Marie is complete morron. She claims to be college educated yet she can’t even spell “Downey” which she keeps bringing up like its a big deal. Another thing she says is that there aren’t any illegals there, but I think we can all tell she increased that population by 1.
Marie, u are a dumb ass it seems to me that u go by the stereo type. U said u lived close to my stomping grounds, on the other side of 17st rite. cuz the whites over there are assho1es. 1 1ived in the gang mix not everyone who gets considerd a gang death is a gang death, some stupid asses 1ike ur se1f start making accusations w/out being proper1y informed. to get ur ass ou ur head know that reaper n youngter r 2 different pp1 n rodrigo is niether one he was ki11ed cuz enemies r afraid of youngster his brother n it goes deeper than that so just shut up dumbass oh n da guy who got ki11ed next to wi11ard was my cusin he wasnt 15 he was 17 n unarmd fo11ow up on it i witnessd it to show u im not just saying whatever pops into my head
first of all mario your an idiot wanabe little kid talking about gangs ftroop dont have any clicks anymore they all seperated in the late 90’s the last one was 7 st an artesia is tee original ftroop and to marie you claim to live in downey but know the whole history on this kid an then you mention your family is from ftroop an ftroop and kpc are rivals i think theres a conection here.
Let me tell marie something
ur just a f***in bitch that was raised in the same hood as everyone else ill bet u anything that u used to kick it with the troopers
i knew who rodrigo was ur kid probably will join gangs even if u moved from different locations it doesnt matter if u moved ur kid or raised him away from gangs every wher peolpe go theirs gangster for example i was born and raised on 15 and durant all my life and yes i will say that i was from KPC but i already changed that i am going to school and also working i dont have time for gangs or anything like that so why are u saying gansters are a waste maybe thats what ur mom told u so stop talking sh*t if u dont know about my homie Rodrigo RIP
Marie, you ought to be shot next. Regardless if whether the kid was a gang member or not he was a human being. And when you get shot by someone for running your mouth behind the safety of computer im sure all of us here will agree. It will be one less bitch you gotta worry about.
V.Hard Times RifaX3
V.Buena Clinton Area.231
SoUtHXSiDeXGaRdENXGrOvE
Los Diablitos
R.I.P HoOks,PaNiC,RoLLy
Matando Controlando Y Rifando
F*** YOU MARIE DUMB A** H*
PELONS ARE SO SEXII Y I FEEL BAD BOUT THIS KID IT MUST SUK SORRY
I LOVE PELONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ILOVE DA CHOLOS FROM SANTA ANA THEY SO DAM SEXXI Y FIRME
I donn know why people [[Marie]] is talkin shit on Rodrigo. Why would someone wish upon someone else’s death. I knew Rodrigo when he was a sixth grader at Mendez and I was a eighth grader. He was a chill kid and he was living the hard life. Imagine being his sister. Would you like it if your brother died in front of you. NO i don’t think so. I saw him when he died and I was shokd. I didn’t kno that somethin would ever happen to him. I kno he might have not done everythin right things but we are all humans and we all make mistakes. He was raised in Santa Ana where theres alot of gangs and gangsters. I feel sorry for the people that don’t kno the whole story beind his death because what has been said is not detailed at all. Rodrigo was loved by many and will always be loved.
RIP Rodrigo Valle…Always and Forever be in our Hearts
What happened to our ten Commandment’s