On Saturday, the police authorities announced that two gang members were arrested in connection for killing a 9-year-old Anaheim girl. The victim was shot by stray gunfire earlier this week while playing outside her apartment complex.
Canada Journal reported the police arrested 19-year-old Ricardo Cruz of Buena Park and 20-year-old Alfredo Miguel Aquino of Anaheim after 11 p.m. Friday in connection with the killing of 9-year-old girl, Ximena Meza.
According to a press release from the Anaheim Police Department, Ximena Meza was playing with her sisters in front of their apartment complex in the West Greenacre Avenue's 2300 block when gunfire shots rang out about 7:15 p.m. Wednesday. She was hit once in the chest and was brought to the hospital where she died 45 minutes later.
As reported by The Los Angeles Times, the two suspects that were arrested for killing a young girl were being held at the Anaheim Police Department headquarters. Both men, who were known gang members, were charged for murder and being locked-up on $1 million bail bond.
Anaheim Police Chief Raul Quezada said the suspects; Cruz was on active parole while Aquino was on active probation when the Wednesday shooting happened, as said by CBS Los Angeles.
Anaheim Police investigators reported two or more suspects in a white vehicle drove down Greenacre Avenue where the killed 9-year-old girl was playing. A male suspect got out of the car and started shooting at a group of men nearby and the girl was caught in the line of fire. After she was shot, the intended targets escaped from the scene while the suspects in the car drove away.
Investigators believed that the shooting incident was gang-related. Meanwhile, no other gunshot victims have been found and reported.
The neighborhood, where the girl was killed, is in a gang-plagued area of Anaheim - a city popularly known as the home of Disneyland. However behind its façade, lies a series of urban issues.
NBC Los Angeles reported that a $5,000 reward was set for information that could lead them for the arrest of the suspect or suspects in killing the 9-year-old girl. But the figure reached $57,500 Thursday night with funding from the Anaheim Police Officers Association, the City of Anaheim and the Orange County Attorney's Association.
Lt. Robert Dun said it was too soon to determine if anyone would share the reward offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the girl's death.
Because of the shooting incident, the Anaheim community voiced their anger and frustration. A neighbor said that innocent children should not be dying so young.
"This is the loss of innocence, and it's touched everyone in our city," Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait said during the news conference.
Upset family members wept and hugged Saturday afternoon as they got a first look at the pictures of the arrested suspects responsible for killing the 9-year-girl in Anaheim.
Because of her death, Ximena's aunt started an online effort to raise more than $6,000 for the victim's funeral arrangement. Ximena's Funeral Fund is accessed through a GoFundMe account.
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