5 Gang Members Convicted In Long Beach Mass Shooting

LONG BEACH, CA — Five gang members were convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder after shooting up a party that they expected to be attended by rival gang members, but that was actually a Halloween-themed birthday celebration among coworkers with no gang members present.

Jurors deliberated for five hours before finding 23-year-old David Heng Long, 24-year-old Kaylin Thik, 22-year-old Ryan Sim, 29-year-old Jeremy Penh and 39-year-old Grant Johnson guilty of the Oct. 29, 2019, killings in the Rose Park area of Long Beach.

Melvin Williams II, 35, of Gardena; Maurice Poe Jr., 25, of Long Beach; and Ricardo Torres, 28, of Inglewood, all died at the scene. Nine more were injured.

The jury determined it was Long, Thik and Sam who fired the shots, but all five face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In her opening statement, Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee told jurors that Penh mistakenly believed rival gang members would be attending the party after hearing from a childhood friend that its host was a man Penh believed had disrespected his neighborhood.

Penh called the friend at the party and warned him of the impending shooting, so the friend and the host brought the guests inside, but when the host’s father was uncomfortable with the large crowd in his home and it appeared the coast was clear, people went back outdoors, the Long Beach Post reported.

The coast wasn’t clear, however, and the shooters struck, with at least two firing into the crowd of roughly 30 partygoers from atop a brick wall, according to the Press-Telegram.

Ingrid Cortes was celebrating her birthday and thought the gunshots were fireworks before she was struck in the chest, she testified. Cortes spent a month in the hospital.

Another victim, Jasmine Johnson, testified she is now paraplegic and has no feeling below her chest.

During the trial, Sim testified he was solely responsible for the shooting and fired from three guns. Also testifying was Joshua Sam, a former codefendant who offered his testimony in exchange for what is expected to be a 17-year prison term.

Sam agreed to plead no contest to three counts each of voluntary manslaughter and attempted murder in exchange for a lesser prison term. Now 44, Sam testified last week that Penh had told him they would be going to a rival gang's party to “shut it down.”

Sentencing could take place as early as Jan. 29.

City News Service contributed to this story.