On Tuesday night, 21-year-old Long Beach resident Gelacio Medina Ramirez and several acquaintances were talking in the small alley of Cereza Way—near the Museum of Latin American Art near the 1000 Block of 6th Street—when a car drove through and fired shots.

The car apparently entered the alley from Cerritos Ave. and a gunman from inside the car fired shots, hitting Medina at least once in his upper body. No words were exchanged prior to the shots being fired and none of Medina’s companions were injured. The car was last seen heading westbound down the alley towards Alamitos Avenue.

According to the investigation, there were no words exchanged before the shooting occurred. Long Beach Fire Department paramedics transported Medina to the nearest hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead Wednesday.

The murder is being investigated as possibly gang-related, though no suspect description has been released. Because this is an ongoing murder investigation, there is no additional information that is being released at this time, according to Nancy Pratt of the Long Beach Police Department. 

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Long Beach Police Department Homicide Detectives Mark McGuire or Greg Krabbe at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips via text or web may be submitted by visiting www.tipsoft.com.