What:
Press Conference

When:
4:30 p.m. Thursday, January 24, 2002

Where:
St. Andrews Recreation Center, 8701 St. Andrews Place, Los Angeles

Who:
The Honorable Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles Chief of Police Bernard C. Parks Along With Other City Officials and Community Members

Los Angeles- On Wednesday, November 28, 2001, at approximately 4:20 p.m., 13 year-old Marquese Prude was shot to death while inside the St. Andrews Recreation Center located at 8701 St. Andrews Place in Los Angeles.

At the time of his murder, Los Angeles Police Department's 77^th Street Homicide Detectives were unable to determine a motive or identify a suspect.

Prude’s senseless murder infuriated and united the St. Andrews community. Several prominent community leaders, including Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas and Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard C. Parks, responded by participating in a community walk for peace on December 22, 2001. Chief Parks announced that the Department would vigorously pursue the case.

The purpose of the press conference is to announce the arrest of the murder suspect, Zaire Dennis (AKA "Slim"). A second suspect in Prude’s murder, Ronnie Winfield, was killed in a gang-related drive-by shooting on January 7, 2002, in the vicinity of 3^rd Street and Hobart Street.

The Los Angeles Police Department would like to express its appreciation to the community for their assistance in helping to solve this murder and to the media for bringing necessary attention to this incident.

For further information, please contact Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586. This Media Advisory was prepared by Public Information Officer Jack Richter, Media Relations Section.