Social Justice Organizer Fatally Shot During Home Break-In
The founder of an arts-focused social justice organization was fatallyshot this week in his Los Angeles home.
CBS affiliate KTLA identified Michael Latt as the 33-year-old man found in his home Monday night with multiple gunshot wounds, after police received a report of a shooting.
Michael Latt, 33, was fatally shot in his Los Angeles home on Monday.
Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, is accused of breaking into Latt’s home that night and shooting him, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, in a Thursday press release, said that Michl targeted Latt for being friends with a woman she had been stalking.
Prosecutors have charged Michl with murder and residential burglary with person present, alleging that someone else was inside the residence at the time of the break-in.
Latt was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Avarie Shevin, Latt’s next-door neighbor, told KTLA she was “heartbroken” and “shocked” by the incident.
“I was looking out my window and saw a female standing in the walkway with her hands up, and they took her into custody,” Shevin said.
Michl, who police say remained at the scene, was booked on suspicion of murder. Her vehicle, which police said was her primary residence, was booked into evidence as well. It was not immediately clear what events led up to the shooting, or whether Latt and Michl knew each other.
Latt was the founder of Lead With Love, an organization that helps to organize events centered on social justice reform, such as MLK Now and Angela Davis + Common.
Latt’s organization has also worked with Hollywood corporations to produce culturally significant films, including “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Till,” according to his website.
Latt’s mother, Michelle Satter, who is the director of the Sundance Institution, posted a statement on social media honoring her son’s legacy.
Our beloved son Michael Latt fell victim to a tragic act of violence this week. Michael devoted his career to supporting artists, championing organizations that raised up artists of color, & leveraged storytelling for enduring change. We celebrate his legacy, love & compassion. pic.twitter.com/AlhuNNBWXZ
— Michelle Satter (@SundanceSatter) November 29, 2023
In a 2019 interview with Forbes, Latt said he planned to start his own company to change public opinions on mass incarceration.
“Storytelling is imperative to creating lasting meaningful reform,” he said. “Through stories and art, we can showcase incarcerated and formerly incarcerated men and women’s humanity, shine a light on injustices in the system and shift the narrative about how we talk about the issues.”