No motive, no suspects in slaying of Wilson High honors student

November 2, 2009
Los Angeles Times

Long Beach police said they have no suspects and no motive in the shooting death of a Wilson High School student who police said was an innocent victim of gunfire in front of the school Friday night.

The daughter of Cambodian immigrants, Melody Ross died at St. Mary's Hospital at 10:30 p.m., half an hour after she was shot, said her uncle. Ross and her friends were leaving the Wilson High homecoming game against Polytechnic High School when she was hit.

Two men, ages 18 and 20, were wounded in the gunfire and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. They are not believed to be students at either school, and their identities were not released.

Grief counselors are on the Wilson High campus to help students deal with the death of the popular honors student and athlete.

Police on Sunday asked for the public's help in finding the shooter or shooters, saying they don't have a description or many leads to go on.

A homecoming dance attended by about 200 students was underway on campus when the shots were fired.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: A makeshift tribute to shooting victim Melody Ross. Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times