(Sept. 10, 2002) -- LBPD reports an especially horrifying early evening shooting in the 2000 block of Pine Ave. which took the life of a 24 year old LB father, apparently in the vicinity of his two sons...and wounding (within inches of possibly killing) his four year old son.

On September 9 at roughly 8:11 p.m., police say 24-year old Juan Miguel Alvarado, a LB resident, was standing in his garage adjacent to an alley in the 2000 block of Pine Ave. in the 6th Council district. LBPD says three male Black suspects, aged 18 to 20, walked by the garage and made threatening statements to Mr. Alvarado.

Mr. Alvarado's 10-year old son and 4-year old son were with him in the garage.

Police say that as Mr. Alvarado tried to get to his two sons to safety, one of the suspects fired multiple shots at him, striking Mr. Alvarado in the torso and grazing his 4 year old son in the head.

LBFD paramedics transported Mr. Alvarado to a local hospital. He underwent surgery and died as result of his wounds. His four year old son was taken to another hospital, treated and released (now without a father.)