Slaying of 3, wounding of 5 done ‘in furtherance of’ shooter’s gang, police say

Cameron Kiszla
·2 min read
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A man has been arrested in the fatal shootings of three people in Harbor City and San Pedro, as well as five attempted murders, Los Angeles Police Department and city officials announced Thursday morning.

Dion Johnson, 20, was arrested Jan. 18, in the Los Angeles area, authorities said. It was initially stipulated that Johnson, a Wilmington resident, was arrested on Jan. 22, but an LAPD press release later said he was charged on Jan. 22 after the Jan. 18 arrest near the 900 block of Lakme Avenue.

He’s accused of gunning down Carlos Loera and Ashley Guzman on Sept. 4 in Harbor City and killing Joseph Saldana on Sept. 30 in San Pedro.

Loera and Guzman were in the 1000 block of 253rd Street when a gunman walked up to their vehicle and opened fire, police said. Their 1-year-old child was also shot but survived his wounds.

Saldana, a recent high school graduate, was at a birthday party in the 1200 block of North Park Western Drive when he was shot and killed. Three others were wounded.

A 43-year-old man was shot and seriously wounded on Oct. 2 in Wilmington, officials said.

At a Thursday news conference, LAPD Capt. Jamie Bennett said investigators believe the shootings were motivated by Johnson’s alleged gang affiliation, and he committed the crimes “in furtherance of the gang,” which Bennett did not name.

Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Bobby Grace said Johnson faces three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder, though he declined to offer many details because he “didn’t want to compromise the investigation by these detectives.” The LAPD release confirmed the three murder charges but said Johnson only faces one attempted murder charge.

The victims, all “innocent people,” were attacked by a man “motivated by his gang affiliation,” Bennett added.

Johnson was previously arrested for robbery in Las Vegas and shooting into an inhabited dwelling, Bennett said.

“After he served time for those offenses, he came to the Los Angeles area, and these crimes ultimately occurred,” he added.

Johnson is being held at Men’s Central Jail in lieu of $13.4 million bail. He is due to appear in Long Beach Superior Court on Feb. 13.

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