2 Arrested In Connection to Shooting Murder Of 12-Year-Old Boy

LONG BEACH, CA — After almost two months of searching, Long Beach police announced Friday that two suspects are in custody in connection to the shooting murder of 12-year-old Eric Gregory Brown III.

Eric's death touched many people in the community, including city officials such as Mayor Rex Richardson who called for an end to senseless gun violence.

"This incident was devastating for our entire community and as a father, it pains me to think that anybody would think so little of a life, let alone the lives of children, that they'd commit a crime like this," said LBPD Chief Wally Hebeish.

The suspects in custody were identified as 20-year-old Reshawn Strother and 21-year-old Destenee Sheree Scipio. Hebeish said Strother is a documented gang member who was in custody for an unrelated crime and Scipio is his girlfriend according to LBPD.

Scipio was arrested on Wednesday, Hebeish said, on suspicion of Eric's murder and has a prior record of violent crimes, Hebeish said.

At about 11:30 p.m. on May 9, officers were sent to the 2200 block of Lewis Avenue, between Martin Luther King Jr. and Orange Avenues, after receiving reports of a shooting that left a 12-year-old boy dead and injured a 14-year-old girl.

The wounded boy, Eric, and girl were taken to a hospital, where Eric died and the girl suffered a non-life-threatening wound to her lower body, police said.

According to police, Eric, the 14-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl were walking on the sidewalk when a vehicle approached them, occupied by at least two males.

Police said they believe the incident was gang-related and there is no indication that the suspects knew Eric or the other two injured children. Investigators are still working to determine if there was any interaction between the suspects and the children before the fatal shooting, Hebeish said.

A GoFundMe account established for the boy's family raised more than $28,000 in support of the family before it stopped taking donations. The account was established by LaQuioa Joseph, whose cousin Angela Washington was Eric's mother.

"He was just a baby in the wrong place at the wrong time," Joseph wrote on the Gofundme page. "Eric was the 2nd of 5 children leaving behind his mother, his siblings and a host of family and lots of friends. Eric will be remembered for his loving smile and his dance moves. Unfortunately as a single mother Angela was not prepared to have to bury her son. Eric left a void in the family and will be forever missed."

Officials believe there could be additional outstanding suspects who were involved in the shooting and stated that a $25,000 reward is still in place for any information that could lead to additional arrests.

Anyone with information on the shooting was urged to call Detectives at 562-570-7244, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222- TIPS. Tipsters may also use the website www.lacrimestoppers.org.