The Board of Supervisors renewed a $10,000 reward Tuesday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever was involved in the 2014 fatal drive-by shooting of Olataga Filemoni in Long Beach.
Supervisor Don Knabe recommended extending the reward, which was set to expire the same day.
Authorities said in a probable case of mistaken identity, the 25-year-old Long Beach resident was shot at multiple times by likely gang members while standing in front of his home talking with friends. Police responded to his home on the 3200 block of Baltic Avenue just before 11:00PM on Thursday, July 25, 2014, according to the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD).
Investigators learned a car that neither Filemoni nor his friends recognized stopped in front of the house that night.
“Someone from inside the car yelled a gang phrase at the group; however, since no one in the group was from a gang, they did not initially react to the statement,” LBPD officials stated. “Almost simultaneously upon the statement being made, gunshots were fired from inside the car at victim Filemoni and the others.”
One of Filemoni’s friends described the suspect vehicle as a small compact.
Anyone with information relating to this incident is strongly urged to contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives Mark McGuire and Greg Krabbe at 562.570.7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1.800.222.TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Above, left photo courtesy of LBPD.