‘She didn’t deserve what happened to her at all’: Family devastated after loved one fatally shot in South L.A.
A family is heartbroken after one of their loved ones was found shot to death in her wrecked car in an alleyway in South Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department states that deputies were called to the 2000 block of Century Boulevard near Wilton Place at 12:46 a.m. Sunday on reports of a shooting.
Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered a woman who had been shot. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Video shows deputies investigating a white Mercedes sedan that was blocked off in the alley.
The suspect remains outstanding as of 7 a.m., and no description was provided by authorities. A motive for the shooting is unknown.
While authorities did not identify the victim, her family told KTLA 5's Omar Lewis that the decedent is 21-year-old Lanai Ariyana Dees.
The family of the young woman, who resided in Inglewood, is still processing the sudden death and called the shooting a senseless tragedy.
"She was an amazing person," said Jordan Dees, Lanai's brother. "She was very sweet and very kind.
Jordan said his sister was found with gunshot wounds in her car, which had crashed prior to the shooting. As for why she was in South L.A., Lanai's brother says she was possibly visiting a friend, but doesn't know why her car crashed and who would commit such a heinous crime.
"We just know that she knew someone over here, and next thing you know, she got killed," Jordan said. "She was in her car, so we don't even know what happened...the car is wrecked and she was shot."
Jordan, through tears, then made a simple request to the public.
"She didn't deserve what happened to her at all," he said. "Please help. Please call the police, call me if you know me...if you know anything, please don't stay silent, because we have to get the person that did this. We have to."
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department by calling their Homicide Bureau (323-890-5500).
