What started out as a family outing for burgers and fries on Friday night in Los Angeles ended in tragedy. At around 9 p.m., Hannah Bell was gunned down while she and her mother waited for the food they ordered at Best Burger. The Los Angeles Police Department has no leads so far and is asking for anyone with information on the case to come forward.
The restaurant is located in the Manchester Square area of South Los Angeles near 77th Street and Western Avenue. Without warning, the assailant approached the 15-year-old girl in front of the restaurant.
ABC News 7 reported that the unidentified man opened fire on Hannah striking her in her chest. The man then fled on foot. Bell was treated on the scene by emergency workers and was then quickly transported to a local hospital. The teen was later pronounced dead.
Early reports say that police have not identified a motive for the shooting. By all accounts from loved ones, Bell was not a member of a gang nor did she run with a bad crowd. The young woman had no known enemies.
The LAPD has opened an investigation and is trying to determine if the shooting was random or if Bell was the intended target. Authorities are working on obtaining video surveillance footage to help identify the shooter. The only description that authorities have so far is that the shooter is a Black male who was wearing a hoodie sweatshirt at the time of the attack.
Bell’s family is overwhelmingly saddened by the shocking report of Bell’s murder. Her aunt, Karen Winzer, told ABC 7 News that her niece was a beautiful girl who was innocent. The killer has robbed her of a chance to watch Bell grow up, go to college, and get married. Winzer wants him caught and brought to justice.
Community activists and family gathered on Sunday evening for a prayer vigil near the spot where Hannah Bell was murdered in front of her mother. They want justice for the life of this young girl who was taken too soon. Individuals who have any information about the case are asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department.
Now: South LA community gathering on Western and 78th St to pray for Hannah Bell, 15. She was shot and killed in front of her mother on Friday #nbcla pic.twitter.com/JVtXpkgRZQ
— Rick Montanez (@RickCBSLA) April 30, 2018
