Two Charged with 'Disturbingly Brutal and Callous' Shooting of Homeless Double Amputee in LA

Mar. 15, 2025

Two people were charged with murder in connection to the May 17 shooting death of a 69-year-old homeless man whom police described as a double amputee in Los Angeles.

“The murder of this victim – who was unhoused and a double amputee asleep in his wheelchair – is disturbingly brutal and callous,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “I thank members of my Community Violence Reduction Division for their work in this case. We will hold those responsible accountable for this unthinkable crime.”

Both Salazar and Hernandez, 34, were arraigned on Thursday, according to the release. The pair are accused of shooting and killing Gerold Lipeles, whoABC7identified as a military veteran, while he slept in his wheelchair outside of a McDonald’s on West Century Boulevard in South Los Angeles, according to a Los Angeles Police Departmentnews releaseissued Thursday.

Prosecutors allege that Salazar approached the man and shot him in the head, according to theAssociated Press. Lipeles, 69, died in a hospital five days after the shooting, according to the AP.

Fox 11 Los Angeles

Salazar was already in custody on an unrelated charge, according to the LAPD’s news release. Salazar’s attempted murder charge stems from an allegation that she approached 67-year-old Stella Polly at a bus stop four days after Lipeles' shooting and shot Polly in the back after a short conversation, according to the release.

Another man, 32-year-old Blas Canche, was arrested Tuesday, but he was not charged with a crime, pending further investigation, according to the statement and AP.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment Friday.

source: people.com