Father Of 5 Shot, Killed In Compton Garage
COMPTON (CBSLA.com) – A husband and father of five was shot and killed in his garage in Compton early Friday morning.
Derrick Sinclair, 42, was shot while sitting in his garage in the 15600 block of South Visalia Avenue at 12:16 a.m., the Los Angles County Sheriff's Department reports.
Sinclar was rushed to a hospital with several gunshot wounds, where he died, the coroner's office confirmed.
Sheriff's detectives believe Sinclair was sitting in his garage watching television when the gunman entered and confronted him, the sheriff's department said.
The suspect accused Sinclair of being a gang member, LASD reports. When Sinclair responded that he was not in a gang, the suspect shot him anyway, deputies said.
Neighbors and relatives told CBS2 Saturday it was a case of mistaken identity.
"They weren't looking for him they were looking for someone else," neighbor Marion Garrison said. "Why? I don't know."
She added that his kids clearly adored him and vice versa.
"They loved their dad I'd hear them 'Daddy, daddy.' Nice kids," she added.
"No, he was not involved in a gang," Sinclair's aunt Marion Armstard said. "He was not."
She added, "A lot of hearts [are] broken."
The gunman fled on foot. A description of the suspect was not released.
His daughter told CBS2's Greg Mills it was not unusual for him to be in his garage late at night watching television or playing Xbox. She called it his man cave.
Anyone with information on the crime was urged to call the LASD Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
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