Rival Gang Members Sentenced To Over 80 Years Behind Bars For Killing Toddler In 2018 Compton Shootout
COMPTON (CBSLA) -- Two ex-convicts, who were rival gang members, were sentenced on Friday in the shooting death of 3-year-old Franklin Pon-Ros.
The toddler was struck and killed during a Jan. 20, 2018 gunfight in the parking lot of a Compton liquor store in the 2800 block of West Alondra Boulevard.
30-year-old Kevaughn Harris was sentenced to 103 years to life and 32-year-old Dwayne Ward was sentenced to 89 years to life.
"I don't think I could imagine what you've gone through,'' said Superior Court Judge Pat Connolly to the victims' family members at the end of the hearing. "To the extent the law can give you justice, we've tried.''
The Los Angeles County district attorney's office reported around the time of the incident that Ward and Harris got into a verbal altercation that ended in the two exchanging gunfire.
Harris' girlfriend and her 3-year-old son Franklin were sitting in Harris' car at the time. A bullet from Ward's gun struck Franklin in the head while he was in the backseat, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Harris and Ward were convicted in December 2019 on one count each of second-degree murder, attempted murder involving each other, shooting at an occupied vehicle and possession of a firearm by a felon, along with finding true gun allegations.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)