The Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Downtown Long Beach.
The Gov. George Deukmejian Courthouse in Downtown Long Beach. File photo.

A Long Beach man has been charged with murder after authorities say he shot another man in North Long Beach earlier this week.

Marco Quintanilla Ortega, 23, was ordered to remain jailed and had his bail raised to just over $3 million while awaiting arraignment on June 20 in connection to the killing of 26-year-old Long Beach resident Brian Contreras. Quintanilla Ortega also faces charges of being a felon in possession of a gun and ammunition. He has not pleaded to the charges.

The 23-year-old was taken into custody Tuesday morning in the 5500 block of Long Beach Boulevard, less than a mile from where police say he shot Contreras multiple times. 

Witnesses at the scene of the shooting the night before in the 4900 block of Long Beach Boulevard provided descriptions and vehicle information that led detectives to identify Quintanilla Ortega as the gunman. At the time of his arrest, police seized a gun from Quintanilla Ortega, but the LBPD did not say whether the gun was the same one used in the shooting.

Officers who responded to the shooting rendered aid to Contreras but he was pronounced dead shortly after by Long Beach Fire Department personnel.

It is unclear if there was any prior connection between Quintanilla Ortega and Contreras, however, detectives believe the shooting was gang-related.

A GoFundMe page was created to cover the costs of the Contreras’ funeral expenses and it has raised $7,215 of the $10,000 goal as of Friday morning. Alexander Contreras, the organizer for the GoFundMe page and Brian’s brother, posted a photo of his smiling sibling with the caption, “This was unexpected for us all… He was undoubtedly a survivor and a man of many struggles yet still walking on his own.”

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