Gang-related shootings in the City of San Fernando have shaken residents’ sense of security.
As business owners in the city’s historic outdoor mall were winding down and preparing for the Labor Day holiday, on Friday, Aug. 30, at 6:35 p.m., one man described by police as “young” took aim at another man, shot him and then ran away on foot. The San Fernando Police Department (SFPD) reported the shooting victim was transported to an area hospital with at least two gunshot wounds.
This latest shooting follows another brazen gang-related shooting that occurred in San Fernando on Aug. 1 at the AutoZone on Maclay Avenue. A suspected gang member fired a gun inside the store, shooting 20-year-old Oswaldo “Gambino” Balderas in the back of his head. Although Balderas was transported to the hospital, it was determined that he could not survive his injuries and was taken off life support and died the next day.
Both shootings occurred in broad daylight and police have not made an arrest in either shooting.
A series of crime incidents during these summer months has challenged the resources of SFPD, who asked the local City Council for additional funds to pay overtime costs for patrol officers. Residents in the tight knit, small community have become increasingly nervous about how close the shootings have been to their homes and schools, and want to know if these shootings represent an uptick in gang activity that indicates there could be more to come.
Last July, 38-year-old Stephanie Rodriguez, a San Fernando resident, was shot and killed in her home on Kewen Street. The parties involved were reported to have some gang ties. A 34-year-old woman identified as Evelyn Torres of Palmdale was arrested and charged with murder.
Residents expressed their concerns on the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol Facebook page following last Friday’s shooting.
“It seems like we are back in the 90s. For a while, it seemed like gang violence was a thing of the past, but now it seems like it’s affecting our community more than ever,” wrote Steven Huynh.
“It looks like we are going back into the late 70s and 80s, when we had so many problems with gang-related shootings in our streets and parks,” wrote Gloria Villalpando. “We need more police patrolling the street.”
SFPD Chief Fabian Valdez said the recent rash of crimes in the city is “layered.”
In addition to the shootings, there have also been a series of break-ins at local businesses.
One local business owner, who requested anonymity, has been in the San Fernando Mall for more than a decade, said he is increasingly concerned due to the break-ins and shootings. While he would like to see more patrols in the area, he is thinking of adding more cameras to his business.
“I think as a community, we’ve got to work together,” he said. “Obviously, patrolling would help a bit more, but anything that we can contribute, I think that’s a plus.”
Over the holiday weekend, Valdez requested additional patrol support from the Pasadena and Monterey Park Police Departments.
He also released an additional statement:
“As the Chief of the San Fernando Police Department, I want to acknowledge and address the concerns many in our community have expressed regarding recent high-profile events in our city. Your safety and well-being are our top priorities, and we deeply appreciate the support and engagement we’ve received from the community during this challenging time.
“In response to the recent increase in criminal activity, we are taking proactive steps to tackle the root causes and enhance public safety.”
Valdez said as a collaborative effort, SFPD is forming a Community Coalition with local stakeholders.
“This coalition will focus on a comprehensive approach that includes enforcement, intervention, prevention, diversion and education,” he said.
Valdez wanted it noted that SFPD, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and other police agencies, have made arrests and jailed suspects.
Last month, 30-year-old Juan Figueroa, a San Fernando resident living on Knox Street, was booked on suspicion of murdering 27-year-old Karla Terron, who also lived in San Fernando. Her body was found near a freeway off-ramp in Bakersfield in late 2022.
In a shooting last May that is not gang-related, SFPD arrested Martin Rodriguez, 61. Rodriguez is behind bars after being accused of shooting several people at a house party on Orange Grove Avenue in San Fernando and later firing at an LAPD helicopter during a barricade.
Valdez held two recent community meetings, he said, to encourage communication with the SFPD. He said he is an “active listener” open to suggestions and solutions, and recommended that residents stay vigilant and help the department by being “eyes and ears.”
“In the coming days, I will be working with our City Council and reaching out to LAUSD, LAPD, local gang interventionists, faith-based, parent advocacy groups and other community stakeholders to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the larger issue of gang violence in our community and the Northeast San Fernando Valley as a whole,” said Valdez.
Gabriel Arizon contributed to this article.