Boss Of Man Killed In Venice Shooting Remembers His 'Loved' Employee
VENICE (CBSLA.com) — Why did someone gun down a beloved young father who was just doing his job Wednesday afternoon in Venice?
Candles and flowers mark the spot where Marvin Ponce, 37, was fatally shot at Seventh and Brooks.
Ponce, the father of a 1-year-old daughter, was doing traffic control at a construction site.
"I think we're mentally exhausted right now. It's been a brutal day," says Wesley Mollno, Ponce's boss.
Mollno says Ponce was doing traffic control in the area where a crane was operating. At the end of his shift, a man in a hoodie came out of nowhere and shot him.
Ponce was shot once and declared dead at the scene. Initial reports said the attacker was wearing a "Star Wars" mask but that was later called erroneous.
RELATED LINK: Detectives Probe Fatal Shooting In Venice By Suspect Wearing 'Star Wars' Mask
"It was our company's first day on the job," says Mollno.
Motive remains the big question.
But neighbors say some believe controversy over gentrification in the neighborhood may have made Ponce and his crew a target for someone taking out their anger over changes to the block.
"We knew nothing about any unhappy people or any issues in the area. I don't know. We're confused," says Mollno.
"He had a 1-year-old daughter. The kind of guy everybody loved. He was never late to work. He never said no to a job," said Mollno.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Ponce's family with funeral expenses. Any remaining funds will be put into an account for his daughter's future college tuition. Click here for more information.
