WHAT: News Conference

WHEN: July 8, 2004, at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Devonshire Area Police Station, 10250 Etiwanda Avenue, Northridge

Los Angeles: The City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Police Department will announce a $50,000 reward on an unsolved Devonshire Area murder. In an effort to generate additional avenues of investigation, a motion was presented to the Los Angeles City Council by Council Member Alex Padilla, requesting the Council to offer a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the suspects responsible for the shooting death of Tony Men. The motion was passed.

On Tuesday, April 27, 2004, at about 10:44 p.m., Devonshire Area officers responded to a radio call regarding shots fired in the 9600 block of Natick Avenue. Arriving emergency personnel located 19 year-old Tony Men suffering from a gunshot wound to the head who was inside a vehicle that had been struck several times by gunfire. Men died from his injuries at the scene.

In the car with Men, there were his 17 year-old girlfriend, her 15 year-old brother, and a 19 year-old male friend. The other three occupants of the car were unhurt.

Witness information indicated that a dark colored vehicle, possibly a Toyota Camry, pursued Men’s car as the car left from a friend’s house on Natick Avenue. The suspects fired at least 12 rounds at Men’s vehicle, spanning several residential blocks. Three to four males were described as being in the suspects’ vehicle and were described as being male Asians. The investigation revealed that the shooting may have been gang motivated, however, it is believed that Men was not a gang member. It is unknown if Men or the occupants of his car were the intended targets, or if the occupants of the house where Men had been were the targets.

Photographs of the victim will be available for distribution to the media.

Anyone with information regarding the murder is requested to contact Devonshire Area Homicide Detectives, at 818-756-8291. On weekends and during off-hours, call the 24-hour toll free number at the Detective Information Desk, at 1-877-LAWFULL (1-877-529-3855).

This news advisory was prepared by Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section, at 213-485-3586.