Los Angeles County has seen the final chapter in the tragic 2018 shooting spree that claimed three lives and left two injured, with the perpetrator, Selvin Fabian Salazar, receiving a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The sentence was handed down for the murder of Dolores Sanchez, Francisco Montes, and Saith Pedraza, as well as the attempted murder of two others in the City of Angels' neighborhoods of Gardena and Lynwood.
An in-depth trial resulted in Salazar's conviction on September 19, on charges that included three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, among others. A special circumstance of multiple murders was found true by the jury, which, reported by KTLA, inevitably led to him escaping the possibility of parole. After the shooting, he coerced a fellow gang member and his wife for help in escaping, later fatally shooting the man and attempting to kill the woman, whose gun fortunately malfunctioned.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón expressed his compassion for the victims and their families in a statement obtained by KTLA, saying, "Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, who have endured tremendous loss and suffering as a result of Mr. Salazar’s horrific actions." He also thanked Deputy District Attorney Kendra Carman for her role in vigorously prosecuting the case and seeking justice on behalf of the victims and their families.
The 2018 incident began when Salazar fired multiple shots at a vehicle in Gardena, fatally injuring Dolores Sanchez and wounding Saith Pedraza, who succumbed to his injuries two years later. After his deadly actions, Salazar fled with Francisco Montes and his wife, with Montes also becoming one of Salazar's fatal victims. In the city of Lynwood, his wife narrowly survived an attempted murder, as disclosed by the District Attorney's news release.
Overall, Selvin Fabian Salazar was sentenced on October 23 to consecutive life sentences for each count of murder, adding up to a total of 21 years and 4 months in prison for the other charges. The details provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Homicide Bureau, who investigated the case, alongside the LADA Torrance Branch prosecuted the case, outline a violent spree that has finally been brought to a close, seeking to offer some measure of closure to those affected by this ordeal.
