LASD investigating officer’s delayed response to South Los Angeles shooting – NBC Los Angeles

Community leaders and the family of a woman who was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting are questioning why there was a delay by police in responding to the tragedy.

Raejonette Morgan, 22, was fatally shot Tuesday in the West Athens area near South Los Angeles. She was found critically wounded in a bullet-riddled Mercedes Benz that was parked on the sidewalk at the Vermont Avenue exit of the westbound 105 Freeway.

Dione Leslie was livestreaming on Facebook moments after the shooting. Her footage showed a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy standing just feet away from the Mercedes where Morgan remained wounded in the vehicle.

“When I came across the vehicle, I was checking to see if anyone was there because I was doing nothing but talking on the phone and saying there was a fatality,” Leslie recalled at a news conference held by Morgan’s family.

Leslie’s footage then shows her approaching the vehicle and realizing that Morgan was still alive.

“I looked at her and we locked eyes. I knew at that moment that she needed me,” Leslie said.

Leslie pleaded with the officer to tell her that Morgan was still breathing and asked for help for the injured victim. However, the officer stayed near the patrol car while calling for help, so Leslie took matters into his own hands to try to save Morgan’s life.

Using a boot to smash the passenger side window, Leslie did what she could to help save Morgan.

“I was there for her. I wasn’t going to let her down and if I had to go to jail for it, that’s what I had to do,” Leslie said.

Once backup arrived, several officers helped remove Morgan from the vehicle. She was then taken to Harbor UCLA Medical Center, where she died from her injuries.

“She was my only baby, my little girl,” said Anginette Morgan, the victim’s mother, heartbroken.

During a news conference on Friday, she called for an investigation into the officer’s failure to act to save her daughter. On Saturday, the LASD said it has launched a “critical incident investigation” to look into the matter.

“We are deeply troubled by this incident and detectives are working diligently to solve this heinous murder and bring justice to the family,” the LASD statement read. “We extend our sincerest condolences to the family of Raejonette Morgan during this tragic time.”

“We appreciate the concerned community members who stopped by the scene to provide assistance,” the department also said.

LASD did not release the name of the officer they are investigating.

Details about what led to the shooting were not immediately clear. The gunman responsible for Raejonette’s death remains at large. A description of that individual was not provided.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.