Father of 4-year-old slain in Long Beach: ‘I tried to save them but it was too late’
(PressTelegram)- A woman and her 4-year-old daughter were shot to death in downtown Long Beach late Saturday night as they returned home from grocery shopping.
Police said Sunday that officers responded to the area of Locust Avenue and E. Ninth Street about 10:20 p.m. and found the woman and girl had been shot by an unknown assailant, according to a police statement.
The woman, identified as Carina Mancera, 26, was declared dead at the scene by fire personnel, police said. The girl, identified as Jennabel Anaya, 4, was transported to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in critical condition, but she died from her injuries at the hospital early Sunday morning, a coroner’s spokeswoman said.
Police said Sunday detectives have no information on the possible shooter or shooters. A motive was not known.
Luis Anaya, 27, the husband and father of the victims, wept as he answered reporters’ questions the day after the killings. He said he had just parked his car after returning from the market with his wife and daughter Saturday night.
Carina and Jennabel had crossed the street, and he was grabbing a few things out of the car when he said he heard the gunfire. He turned and saw both of them fall to the ground.
“I ran over and tried to save them, but it was too late,” he said, tears welling in his eyes. “I couldn’t.”
A man on foot who he said he did not know and had never seen before also fired shots at him but missed. The shooter then took off running down the street, Anaya said. He said he did not know what the man’s motive could have been.
“I don’t know why he did it, why he came after my family,” he said. “I don’t have any problems with anybody.”