Saddened cousin
Maribel, a cousin of Richard Herrera, 23, a La Puente man who was gunned down at the Food For Less in Baldwin Park on Saturday left this comment today. I'm quoting it here because I'm sure it goes to the heart of how many family members feel in the aftermath of such a tragedy.
my consin recently died from a gun shoot wound that 2 asian and one black person did they took someone that didn't deserve to die he was only 23 years old this happen in bladwin park food for less on saturday early morning he wasn't a gang member he was a great person love everywhone he didn't deserve to die that way we can't believe he is gone my family is takeing really bad we are a very close family he is the first person in are family to die of a muder someone so kind so loveable so full of life is gone not only did they kill my consin but they also put a hole in are hearts it will never be the same without are consin richard he left behind 2 older bothers 3 younger sisters a mom and dad and all his consins aunts and uncles that are to much to count but i don't understand why my consin had to die this way.
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FRANK GIRARDOT
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It's always the same story "such and such was sucha a good person, he/she was not in gangs" etc, etc, etc...
You try losing someone to gang related violence and then making that statement.
You are right, there are innocent victims to gang violence, HOWEVER, way too many times I see the "he was such a good kid" statements on TV followed immediately by a mug shot of the victim - a bold guy full of tattoos. It doesn't take a genious to realize that he was gangbanging himself.
So him wearing tattoos makes him in a gang?
C'mon Aaron. Stop fooling yourself. A ganster is easy to spot...tattoos, shaved head, loose pants...
If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck...you know the rest.
You're in same boat as many parents - denial.
This is heart wrenching.
Even if the person who was killed was in a gang, it wouldn't mean that his being shot to death was okay or that his family wouldn't be in pain....
BTW, this note from Richard's cousin contains more information about this shooting than anything the police have released. Authorities are telling reporters that there's nothing new and the incident remains under investigation.
I'm guessing this one ends up in the cold case hopper.
"This is heart wrenching.
Even if the person who was killed was in a gang, it wouldn't mean that his being shot to death was okay or that his family wouldn't be in pain...."
Okay. This is where we differ. I have no problem with gangsters killing gangsters.
I pitty those who even have the audacity to make such comments as seen above.....
I am a close friend of the Herrera family who knew Richard personally. I can testify that Richard Herrera was NOT a gang member nor did he portray any characteristics of a gang member, niether did those who surrounded him. Maribel, who I do not know, is just one out of 69 cousins (just from his mothers side alone)that Richard did have, who also all LOVED Richard very much. Maribel is just trying to express her pain, sarrow, and frustration of no justice being served to the person who did this, that her family is experiencing right now. Most of these cousins live within a 20 mile radius of La Puente. It doesn't take a genious to realize how close they all were. Also as Maribel stated in the article, Richard is the first family member they have lost from murder. Try to imagine the pain a family of that size is going through..... Not to mention what Richard's immediate family is going through, which consists of a loving mother and father and siblings ages 26, 24, twins the age of 19, and a baby sister age 5. Richard was only 23.
YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MISSED....
May he R.I.P.
By the way TIMMY... please read the article and other related stories before commenting. In this particular case the suspects were 2 Asian, and one Black. The sheriff's department have already stated that this horrible crime was not gang related.
I happen to know the sisters of Richard Herrera. I can safely say that he was a good person. They miss him terribly and I can see the hurt in there eyes every day.
i know richard very well. he was the best freinds anyone could have,to have him as a freind was a really good thing. i always kicked it with him, and played pool with him. i known him since we were lil kids. he didnt deserve what happend, as being part of his main group of freinds he would hang out with things will never b the same with out him.
rip big rich
The cops are the ones who say who is a gang member and who is not a gang member. They label people as they see fit. When they shoot somebody they label that person as a gang member even if he is not a gang member. When they arrest somebody in Baldwin Park they label them as gang members. Even athletes who have bald heads and wear baggy clothes are put in their gang files. You can't believe everything you read.
Bolen Parque is my home town I have sinced moved to the east coast ie FL.But my heart still hurts and my eyes still weep when I read of these deaths and killings of old friends and their kids, some of who use to playw/my lil girl. My prays are still with you...
Bolen Parque is my home town I have sinced moved to the east coast ie FL.But my heart still hurts and my eyes still weep when I read of these deaths and killings of old friends and their kids, some of who use to play w/my lil girl. My prays are still with you...
Richard was one of my many cousins, I still miss him till this day. I can assure you that he was not a gang member, he had a tattoo on his left arm that could have easilly been covered by a tshirt, does that ink make him a gang member? I dont think so.
As for me, having served this great country of ours for nearly 11 years, I shave my head (because I am losing my hair) and my crime in Cali is being Mexican. I get nasty looks from other Mexicans, I get them from Gang members, blacks, asians. Because I have a shaved head and tattoos does that make me a gang member? I didnt think so.
Richard had been working on getting out of Cali to come out to Hawaii and start a new life with me. I used to take care of Richard when he was a baby and I was going to take care of him here on the islands. He never got to see that or enjoy his new life.
As for Deputy Juan Abel Escalante, he was a close friend, we served in Germany during OEF (2004-2005). I cant say why he was killed, but if I was to take a guess, I believe that he was targeted for being Mexican in LA, being in shape and having a shaved head. Does that make him a gang member? I would say no...
So for those of you who say "so and so was such a good person" and saying that "its always the same story" you have to lift up the veil and quit looking at the world from Jaded eyes, not everyone fits the stereotype that you all perceive the world to be.