Police identify 17-year-old hit and killed by two cars in Florence
For Laura Valenzuela, her 17-year-old nephew Matthew Lobos was at the center of the family.
"He was the literal center of the family," she said. "He literally made parties happen. He came and made sure everyone was fine...He was just a really great and fun-loving kid."
Family and friends said Lobos had just started his senior year at Santee High School. However, his final year of high school was cut short after he was purposely hit and killed by two vehicles in Florence.
"He was about five months away from being 18," said Valenzuela. "His teachers [barely got] to know him a little bit. But from the GoFundMe, I've seen that some of them replied to say he came alive during Debate. He was very outspoken."
His family said his goal was to graduate from high school and get away from South Los Angeles.
"He wanted to be a realtor when he turned 18," said Valenzuela. "He wanted to take his realtor license. I think he just wanted to make more of himself, first and foremost."
Valenzuela's nephew Lobos was in the industrial part of the Florence area early Sunday morning, among the 150 people who gathered near the popular street racing spot. Detectives said an argument broke out before two vehicles ran over Lobos. Security footage showed a man jumping out of a dark SUV into the white Acura shortly after Lobos was hit by the first vehicle. The white Acura looped back to run over Lobos once again, as his friends tried to drag him out of harm's way.
"It was intentional. It was on purpose," said Matthew's brother Nicholas Lobos. "Everything was intentional."
While officers found one of the vehicles, the White Acura, ditched next to a pole, they could not find the second.
Police said they do not have a motive for the deadly attack.
However, his brother Nicholas said Matthew was trying to break up a fight.
"He was trying to break up a fight," Nicholas said. "Guy threw the first punch and it went on from there."
Nicolas said he planned on going to the party Sunday night. However, his mother warned him it wasn't safe.
"He told me to come," Nicholas said. "'Hey little bro come through, there's food, there's tacos, everything. You could kick it here."
Nicolas was one of the last people to talk to his brother.
