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17-Year-Old Boy Fatally Beaten and Shot Near Whittier

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Photo by carl ballou via Shutterstock

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Authorities are looking for a man who beat up and then fatally shot a 17-year-old boy just outside Whittier yesterday, reports the Whittier Daily News.

The incident took place at about 12:30 p.m., near a liquor store and bus stop at La Pico Plaza. Witnesses say that a man wearing a baseball hat and hoodie pulled up next to the boy in a car, got out and began beating him to the ground. The suspect then pulled out a gun and shot his victim three times, including once in the face, before running from the scene.

The fatal shooting resulted in a few nearby schools being locked down for three hours while police looked for the suspect, although the boy was reportedly not a student in the Whittier Union High School District.

The victim's identity hasn't been confirmed by law enforcement, but witnesses say his name is Michael Soto.

Updated coverage: Homeless Teen Arrested for Fatally Shooting 17-Year-Old Whittier Boy

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