If a recent story about a a man being shot by a suspected gang member while taking out the trash in West Valinda Tuesday triggers a feeling of Deja vu, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, he is not the first San Gabriel Valley resident in recent history to encounter violence while emptying the garbage, according to SGV Tribune archives. A West Valinda man was wounded in the same manner in in April of 2009, and a 12-year-old Montebello boy was shot and wounded the same way in February of 2007. Here’s the most recent story, followed by the previous ones:

Suspected gang member shoots West Valinda man taking out trash
WEST VALINDA – A man was shot in the foot while taking out the garbage Tuesday night, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s officials said.
The victim was approached at about 7:30 p.m. in the 13500 block of Moccasin St., when the suspect – an adult man – asked him where he was from, Sgt. Ernie Barbosa said.
“He walked up to him and asked if he was in a gang,” Barbosa said. “When the victim responded he is not involved – which we believe – the suspect fired four to five rounds in the direction of the victim.”
The victim was running at the time of the shooting, Barbosa said. He started running when he saw the suspect reach for the handgun, Barbosa said.
The man was transported to a local hospital, he said.
The suspect fled on foot from the scene and no description was provided, Barbosa said.

La Puente man shot while taking out trash
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
WEST VALINDA — Someone yelled out a gang name and opened fire on a man taking out the trash in front of his home Wednesday, hitting the man twice in leg.
The drive-by shooting occurred about 1:50 p.m. in front of a house at Amar Road and Melham Avenue in an unincorporated county area near La Puente.The wounded 20-year-old man was shot twice in the leg, said his uncle, who asked that his name not be published for fear of retaliation.
The nephew and two of his friends were doing some cleaning at the home prior to the attack, the uncle said.
“They were taking out some trash… and there were like five shots,” he said.
At least one man in the car yelled out the name of a Bassett street gang during the incident, he added.
Two or more attackers fled southbound on Melham Avenue in a dark-colored compact car, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Rico Sandoval said.
The wounds did not appear to be life-threatening, he added.
A minivan parked in front of the home had two bullet holes in it. The home’s wall also had one bullet hole.
“The other two are in my nephew’s leg,” the uncle said.
The uncle said his nephew was not involved with gangs.
“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “Why in broad daylight?”
The uncle said the shooting in the normally quiet neighborhood had him worried about the safety of his family. One of the bullets struck a wall only feet from his elderly mother’s room.
“I’ll keep an eye out,” he said. “That’s all I can do.”

12-year-old boy shot in drive-by
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
MONTEBELLO A 12-year-old boy was shot in the abdomen while taking out the trash Monday night, police said.
The boy, apparently an unintended target, whose name was withheld, was shot at about 10:20 p.m. in the 500 block of Walnut Avenue, said Montebello police Sgt. Dave Rodriguez.
He is expected to survive.
“He has already undergone surgery and is in stable condition,” Rodriguez said Tuesday morning.
He said no suspect has been arrested, and police are still investigating leads.
Rodriguez said the shooters were aiming for the victim’s older brother. Both were standing outside their residence when the drive-by shooting occured.
“At this point, the shooting appears to be gang-related,” police wrote in a statement. “Information about possible suspects and/or the vehicle used is not being released at this time as it might jeopardize our ongoing investigation.”
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Montebello Police Department at (323) 887-1313.
* UPDATE: Then 18-year-old Vontrell Martez Gonzalez of Montebello was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Jan. 4, 2008, after pleading guilty to assaulting the boy with a 12-year-old and attempting to murder his older brother. According to prosecutors, the shooting was motivated by rivalry between tagging crews.