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Community Mourns Death of Teen Killed by Stray Bullet While at Home in Pasadena

A 13-year-old was doing what teenagers do: playing video games at home. Then, he was hit by a stray bullet and killed.

A memorial to Iran Moreno Balvaneda grew all night long, as people dropped off candles and flowers.

Although many of them didn’t know the boy, they said, they didn’t have to know him to feel the family’s pain.

“The main thing that gets me is, this was a 13-year-old young man, aspiring, dreams, very respectful to not only my neighbors but to myself,” said neighbor Richard Boyd. “And all they did was play video games and just have a good time.”

The memorial now lines the front of the home on Raymond Avenue, near the Mountain, where Saturday night, a stray bullet shot through the bedroom window of a 13 year old boy.

The family of 13-year-old Iran Moreno Balvaneda say he was a good student, and close to his family.

On Saturday night he was at home, where he was supposed to be safe. 

“He’s a straight A student, spends all his time inside his room with his family and today he’s not there,” said John Perez, Pasadena Chief of Police. “So we have to ask ourselves what we want to do about this as a community, with the gun violence. This needs to stop.”

Perez says there is a gang rivalry currently happening in the city, and there have been several shootings in the past few weeks.

Although it is unclear whether gang violence is to blame for young Balvaneda’s death, senseless gun violence is. 

“As a mom, our hearts are out there,” said Isabel Banuelas, a neighbor of the boy’s family. “I think we feel … we’re heartbroken, just like those parents. It’s unfortunate this has to happen.”

Police say they have been working round the clock since the shooting, and they will continue until they find out who is responsible for this incident.  


Source: NBC Los Angeles

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