Plaque unveiled at OC Zoo for 6-year-old Aiden Leos killed in road rage shooting
A plaque was unveiled Friday morning at the Orange County Zoo in honor of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in a road rage freeway shooting nearly a year ago.
The plaque honoring Aiden Leos was unveiled as part of a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the new Large Mammal Exhibit at the zoo.
Aiden's mother, Joanna Cloonan, and his former classmates were on hand for the ceremony. The plaque is located inside the exhibit. Aiden loved to visit parks with his parents, his family told CBSLA last year.
"We have a picture of Aiden in front of — not the [new Mammal exhibit] but — the last Mammal exhibit we had, and we've used that picture to put together a plaque, so that we can always remember," said Orange County Supervisor Donald Wagner.
On the morning of May 21, 2021, Aiden was in a booster seat in the back of his mother's Chevrolet Sonic, on his way to kindergarten in Yorba Linda, when the shooting occurred on the northbound 55 Freeway in the city of Orange.
"I just want to say thank you so much for coming here today and honoring my son and dedicating this day to him," said Cloonan.
Aiden's mother had been involved in a road rage incident with the occupants of a white Volkswagen station wagon over a perceived unsafe lane change, according to California Highway Patrol.
The suspects, 24-year-old Marcus Anthony Eriz and his girlfriend, 23-year-old Wynne Lee, were arrested outside their Costa Mesa apartment a few weeks after the slaying. Investigators believe Lee was driving the car that was involved in the road rage incident, while Eriz was in the front passenger seat and committed the shooting itself.
Eriz is charged with murder and Lee has been charged with being an accessory after the fact.
The eight-acre O.C. Zoo is located within Irvine Regional Park in the city of Orange. The nearly two-acre Large Mammal Exhibit will house four mountain lions and a jaguar.
"Thank you to everyone who made this happen. Thank you for your love and support. Thank you so much," said Cloonan.