Sobbing Family Mourns Slain Pregnant Woman
Lakiesha Mason, 21, was one of three shooting victims Sunday in the Gaslamp.
By MICHELLE WAYLAND and R. STICKNEY
Updated 11:10 AM PST, Wed, May 27, 2009
The typically vibrant Gaslamp Quarter turned somber Tuesday night at a candlelight vigil for a young, expectant mother gunned down over the weekend.
Lakiesha Mason had just turned 21 Sunday when a gunman surprised a group of bystanders distracted by a street fight. Mason was one of three victims shot on 5th Avenue and E Street after the gunman opened fire, Lt Terry McManus said.
The victims were taken to local trauma centers – Mason was pronounced dead at UCSD hospital at 2:30 a.m. Her family said she was married and an expectant mother.
“She’s gone, she’s gone, the baby’s gone,” her weeping sister said Tuesday night. “My sister was loving, caring, she was outgoing, and she loved everybody. That was my sister.”
Her family and friends vowed to keep her memory alive, while trying to make sense of their loss.
“All I can say is whoever did this is never going to understand how much they hurt our family. Never… Never… and I hope that the police find you and I hope that you get what you deserve,” another family member said.
The other two victims, Richard Turner, 26, and a 34-year-old man, both underwent surgery. Turner’s family says he was shot five times.
Images caught on mobile phones may help catch the man responsible. Surveillance video taken about half a block from the site of the shooting shows a crowd running from the sound of gunfire.
Investigators are asking for the public's cooperation to help them find evidence.
“The on-going investigation has revealed that there may be potential witnesses who perhaps photographed portions of the events leading up to the shooting, via cell phone cameras,” McManus said.
The suspect is described as 21-years-old, 6'1", thin build with short hair and a medium complexion. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark colored jeans.
Anyone with information should call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
First Published: May 27, 2009 7:03 AM PST
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