A $50,000 reward was announced today for any information that might lead to a conviction in the killing of 7-year-old Taalib Pecantte.Pecantte was killed last week in a drive-by shooting in a Mid-City neighborhood after he, his mother and her friend had returned from doing laundry.
The reward was announced at a press conference today at the LAPD's West Los Angeles Station, attended by Pecantte's mother Sawan Mock. She begged for anyone who knows anything to come forward: "I know somebody had to see something."
City Councilman Herb Wesson said, "It ain't OK to kill a 7-year-old boy. And whoever you are, we're going to do everything in our power to find you (and) convict you."
A compact white car carrying as many as four men drove up alongside the car carrying Pecantte and opened fire. The bullets grazed his mother and her friend, while seriously wounding the second-grader who died a day later in a hospital. No eyewitnesses have come forward. Police have reason to believe the suspects were in a gang, but LAPD Det. Roland Rodriguez asked for any tips or even rumors: "That rumor could give me something."
Anyone with more information is urged to call the LAPD's 24-hour toll-free number, (877) LAPD-24-7. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
