11-year-old among 2 slain downtown
Then clicking onto the story - as usual - the shootings were NOT in Downtown, despite the claim on the front page. Instead, they were in the heart of the gang controlled Pico-Union district west of the Harbor Freeway which, while near Downtown - is light years away when it comes to crime.
But the below headline is correct in that the nearest major landmark is the LA Convention Center:
11-year-old boy is one of two shot dead near L.A. Convention Center
The other victim is a 25-year-old man. Police say the Sunday night shooting is believed to be gang-related.
By Andrew Blankstein
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
10:33 AM PDT, October 13, 2008
An 11-year-old boy was one of two people killed when gunmen opened fire on a group gathered west of the Los Angeles Convention Center, police said today.
The fatal shooting Sunday night of Steven Munoz and a 25-year-old man was believed to have been gang-related, said Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman Norma Eisenman.
OK - so far, so good. The correct neighborhood the shootings took place in is still not mentioned - nor is it ever mentioned in the article, but a correct near-by landmark is identified. But then comes the next major blunder:
It occurred in the 1400 block of Connecticut Street near Western Avenue at about 8:30 p.m., when unidentified men got out of a car and fired at the group several times, police said.
Umm - the 1400 block is near Western Avenue? The Convention Center is near... Western Avenue?
Uh - no. First anyone who know anything about the Central Los Angeles area knows the 1400 block of an east/west street is just west of the Harbor Freeway. Second, anyone who knows... anything.... knows the Convention Center is nowhere near Western Avenue. So with these two things being true - how the hell could the LA Times say the 1400 block of Connecticut is near Western Avenue?
Well, easy! Now long time readers know I have pleaded - for years - for the LA Times to buy Thomas Brothers Guides for their reporters - and - more importantly - their editors. Well, I neglected to have added that the LA Times should also give courses on how to read maps.
Because the Thomas Brothers Guide does show Connecticut Avenue being right next to Western Avenue. Unfortunately, for the LA Times credibility - that is the 3200 block of Connecticut Avenue...
Yes, I noticed that too! I've seen a few mistakes on this story...and as a person who has lived in West Adams, Downtown and University Park, their "map" was definitely off...however, as a teacher of the student who was MURDERED, a resident of LA who frequented the clubs of downtown LA since the 80s..."light years away" may be an an overstatement too. It's VERY close. Don't fool yourself! Anyway...take a short walk, and visit Steven's memorial...it's sad, and will make you comletely angry! There's a lot more going on here than Thomas Brother! But, you are right...no where near Western.
ReplyDeleteI am a teacher from his school and it was on the corner of Valencia and 11th st where he ran to his house after being shot and died right on the front porch of his home. Please stop by and pay your respects to the family , Steven was just 11 years old, and he was skateboarding at the time when this occured, just being a kid.
ReplyDeleteyes the teacher is right... the kid (steven munoz,11) wasn't gang related ive been reading and they've been saying his gang realted he was just skating with some friends when the drive-by just happened. i know almost all his family, if u know him please stop by and pay ur respects they really need it also the other guy that was killed (luis rodriguez,18)
ReplyDeleteI wish you could be as outraged over the murder of an eleven-year-old boy as you are about the newspaper's error.
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