The family of Mario Morales Moreno still cannot believe how, in a matter of seconds, their lives changed after a stray bullet took his life in a Long Beach neighborhood.
Elsa Morales, the victim’s wife, said she heard gunshots while her husband was mowing the lawn in front of their home.
“When I came to the front, I saw all the people coming and when I looked, he was lying there,” the now widow said. “The neighbor told me that he had called the ambulance, but when the ambulance arrived, he was no longer alive.”
The fatal incident happened on April 4, shortly before 7 p.m. on 61st Street.
“There were three people [the shooters] were chasing,” said Morales. “Those people came from this side when the car that was shooting was on the corner, and they started running on the side where my husband was, it was there he got hit by the bullet.”
She remembered her husband as a very loved and respected man, not only by his family but by everyone who knew him. She assured that he still had many dreams to fulfill.
“He served 23 years in the army. He just retired from military service. He was in Iraq twice,” said the widow. “[He was] a very responsible person. All the neighbors here loved him very much.”
Morales Moreno was survived by his wife and two children, who are now seeking justice for his death.
“My children are without a father. I am without a husband,” said Elsa. “I think there should be justice, and I think those people who were shooting should turn themselves into the police.”
According to Long Beach police, Morales Moreno died at the scene while another man, who was shot in the leg, was transported to a hospital in stable condition.
“Through their preliminary investigation, detectives determined that one of the suspects fired numerous rounds in the direction of the victims,” Long Beach police said in a statement. “At this time, detectives do not believe the deceased victim was the intended target of the shooting.”
After the shooting, authorities detained three people, but it has not been confirmed if they are related to this crime.