LOS ANGELES
Eight people have been charged in connection with a mass shooting at a Halloween-themed birthday party in Long Beach last year that killed three people and injured nine others, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
Three counts of murder and nine counts of attempted murder were filed in the case against the following Long Beach residents.
- David Heng Long, 21
- Kaylin Thik, 21
- Ryan Sim, 18
- Jeremy Penh, 25
- Christopher Williams, 28,
- Danny Sourn,26,
- Joshua Sam,41,
- Grant Johnson, 35
The criminal complaint also includes special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and committing the murders while the defendants were gang members, making each of them eligible for the death penalty.
They also face gang and gun allegations, according to officials.
The complaint was amended today after it was initially filed against Long on Friday. Arraignment is scheduled today for the other seven defendants in Department S01 of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Long Beach Branch.
Long made his initial court appearance on Friday and his arraignment was continued until September 11.
Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Barnes of the Major Crimes Division is prosecuting the case.
On Oct. 29, 2019, there was a party being held at a home in the 2700 block of E. 7th Street in Long Beach. At around 10:40 p.m., gunmen opened fire on people in the backyard.
Three men were killed: Maurice Poe, Jr., 25; Ricardo Torres, 28; and 35-year-old Melvin Williams II.
Seven women and two men, ranging in age from 20 to 49, were wounded in the attack.
The defendants face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted as charged. A decision on whether to seek capital punishment will be made at a later date.
Danny Sourn is in custody on a 2018 murder case Jeremy Penh is awaiting trial on an attempted murder case.
The case remains under investigation by the Long Beach Police Department.