Craig Batiste, 54, a former gang member who became a well-known community leader and gang interventionist, was shot and killed on September 8, 2021, in Westmont, California. The shooting occurred around 8:45 a.m. near 111th Street and Hobart Boulevard when a dark-colored sedan approached. As Batiste tried to flee, a passenger opened fire, striking him multiple times. The shooter then exited the vehicle, chased Batiste into a driveway and continued shooting; Batiste was left unresponsive and was pronounced dead shortly after.

Batiste was active in programs including LA’s Safe Passage Program and was widely described as a peacemaker who mediated conflicts among rival gangs. Investigators say the gunman was a Black male, but authorities have not determined whether the killing was gang-related. No arrests have been announced and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with information to come forward.

Did anyone in the Westmont area see the dark-colored sedan or the shooting that morning?