The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors renewed a $10,000 award today for information leading to whoever was involved in the killing of Olataga Filemoni.

The award was originally slated to expire on Nov. 17, but the Long Beach Police Department said they wanted to extend the award to try to persuade reluctant witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information about Filemoni’s desk is urged to call Long Beach police detectives Greg Krabbe or Mark McGuire at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips may also be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus the tip to CRIMES (274637) or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.

County Board of Supervisors Offers Reward For Information on Suspects in July Drive-By Shooting

August 21 | The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has issued a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect(s) who fatally shot a Long Beach man last month.

Long Beach Police Department officers responded to the scene in the 3200 block of Baltic Avenue on July 25 just before 11PM to find 25-year-old Olataga Filemoni of Long Beach suffering from several gunshot wounds as a result of a drive-by shooting.

Long Beach Fire Department paramedics rushed Filemoni to a local hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He succumbed to his injuries and died at the hospital on July 28, police said.

An investigation found that Filemoni was in front of his house talking with friends when a car they did not recognize stopped in front of the house. The car’s occupants began yelling a gang phrase toward Filemoni and his friends, even though none of them were gang affiliated, police said.

As the gang phrase was being shouted, gunshots were fired from inside the car at Filemoni and his friends, police said.

One of Filemoni’s friends described the car as a small compact, and several other witnesses reported hearing the shots, but no one has come forward to provide a description of the suspect(s).

Detectives believe the cause of the shooting may have been a case of mistaken identity.

“[Detectives] have canvassed the neighborhood looking for additional witnesses, and are hopeful the reward may prompt reluctant witnesses to come forward and provide additional information,” police said in a statement Thursday.

Anyone with information is asked to call Long Beach Police homicide detectives Mark McGuire and Greg Krabbe at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips may also be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus the tip to CRIMES (274637) or visiting lacrimestoppers.org.