The family of a Los Angeles woman who was shot in her vehicle this week and later died is calling for an investigation into her shooting and what they say was a delayed response by a sheriff’s deputy.
Raejonette Morgan, 22, was shot on Tuesday while in her vehicle in a busy intersection in South Los Angeles and died of her wounds at UCLA General Harbor Hospital on Thursday, police said.
At a press conference on Friday, Morgan’s family called for the perpetrators who committed the shooting and the sheriff’s deputy at the scene, who they accuse of calling in a fatality for Morgan and not immediately attempting to assist her, to be held accountable for her death.
“I’m going to demand that justice — she gets justice for what happened to her,” Anginette Morgan, Raejonette Morgan’s mother, said at the press conference. “The officers that were involved. They need to step aside or we need some investigation.”
There have been no arrests made in connection to the shooting at this time and no description of a suspect was released, according to police.
Raejonette Morgan, pictured in this undated photo, died at 22 years old.
Courtesy Najee Ali
The shooting has garnered national attention due to a Facebook Live video filmed and posted by a bystander, Dionne Leslie-Pullen, who spoke at the press conference Friday.
From Leslie-Pullen’s point of view, the video shows Morgan in a white vehicle with multiple bullet holes in the driver’s seat window. Behind Morgan’s vehicle, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy can be seen in a patrol car, not approaching the vehicle, while Leslie-Pullen asks the deputy to help, eventually breaking Morgan’s car window with her shoe.
“She’s still breathing. Can we help her?” Leslie-Pullen asks the deputy in the video reviewed by ABC News. A response from the deputy cannot be heard.
Leslie-Pullen said on Friday that she ducked into a nearby dispensary when she started to hear shots, then stepped out and began filming after the shots had ended.
“Do you know how that feels? To know that she could have been saved, she was smiling. She fought when she got out,” Leslie-Pullen said at the press conference.
ABC News has not seen the full video.
The Sheriff’s Department said it is conducting a review of the incident to determine if department policies and procedures were followed, according to a statement sent to ABC station in Los Angeles, KABC.
“We are deeply concerned about this incident and detectives are diligently working to solve this heinous murder and bring justice to the family. We extend our sincere condolences to the family of Raejonette Morgan during this tragic time. The Department is unwavering in our commitment to saving lives and protecting our community members in any emergency situation,” the Sheriff’s Department statement said.
The department said it was initially unclear whether the vehicle belonged to the suspect or the victim and the deputy requested assistance, according to KABC.
A spokesperson for the department did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment. The name of the responding deputy has not been released.
Ali and Morgan’s family stressed during Friday’s news conference that those behind the shooting must be found and held accountable as well.
“I don’t want her death to go in vain. Even though she’s going to always be here in my heart. That was my only baby,” Morgan’s mother said. “She was only 22 years old and she did not deserve to die like that.”
The family of a Los Angeles woman who was tragically shot while sitting in her vehicle is demanding justice, accusing a sheriff’s deputy of inaction during the incident. The shooting occurred on a quiet residential street in South Los Angeles, leaving the woman critically injured and fighting for her life.
According to witnesses, the woman was sitting in her car when a group of individuals approached her vehicle and began firing shots. Despite the chaos unfolding before him, a sheriff’s deputy who was patrolling the area allegedly failed to intervene or take any action to stop the assailants. The family believes that the deputy’s inaction played a significant role in the severity of the woman’s injuries.
The victim, identified as 28-year-old Maria Rodriguez, was rushed to a nearby hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. She remains in critical condition, with doctors unsure if she will ever fully recover from her injuries. The incident has left her family devastated and seeking answers as to why more wasn’t done to protect their loved one.
In response to the shooting, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has launched an internal investigation into the deputy’s actions during the incident. Sheriff Alex Villanueva has stated that he is committed to holding his deputies accountable for their actions and ensuring that justice is served in this case.
The family of Maria Rodriguez is calling for transparency and accountability in the investigation, demanding that the deputy responsible for failing to act be held accountable for his actions. They believe that if the deputy had intervened, their loved one may not be fighting for her life in a hospital bed.
This tragic incident highlights the importance of law enforcement officers taking swift and decisive action in situations where lives are at risk. The family of Maria Rodriguez is determined to see justice served and hopes that their calls for accountability will lead to changes within the sheriff’s department to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
As the investigation into the shooting continues, the community is rallying behind the Rodriguez family, offering their support and solidarity during this difficult time. The family remains hopeful that justice will be served and that those responsible for Maria’s injuries will be held accountable for their actions.
