More Senseless Violence: Five Homeless Killed in California Tent City

by Shannon Moriarty · 2008-11-03 06:31:00 UTC
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The tragic trend of violence against the homeless continued this weekend when five people were found shot dead in a tent city in California. 

This comes after just weeks ago, a homeless man in LA was brutally murdered after being doused in gasoline and set on fire. Police are still searching for his killer(s). This senseless crime has renewed the push to include homeless individuals in the categories protected by federal hate crime legislation.

Here are the scant details of this latest tragedy:

Officers received an anonymous call Sunday morning and went to an area between several commercial buildings and freeway ramps off Interstate 405. They found two women and three men, all gunshot victims, Long Beach Deputy Police Chief Robert Luna said.

Detectives have not determined a motive or identified a suspect. Coroner's investigators were sent to the scene to identify the victims and determine how long they had been dead, Luna said.

Some of the victims had been shot more than once, said Ed Winter, assistant chief in the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Dozens of detectives combed the area for evidence.

"Because of the rains last night and the heavy foliage in the area where the crime occurred, the investigative process will be slow and methodical," Luna said.

During the next week, news outlets will undoubtedly be brimming with stories about Tuesday's election. But please, take a moment to remember these five victims, their families, and all who remain unhoused and vulnerable on the streets, in cars, and in tent cities across the country.

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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