David Raymond Bernal, 25, of Norwalk, California, was fatally shot in the early morning hours of January 28, 2018, in the backyard of a home in the 15400 block of Lefloss Avenue. Bernal and a friend, David Kirk Vergara, were both intoxicated when Vergara showed Bernal a rifle that discharged and struck Bernal in the head. Bernal was pronounced dead shortly after deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrived.

Vergara was arrested at the scene and two days later, on January 30, 2018, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and discharge of a firearm with gross negligence. He pleaded not guilty and was held on $1.035 million bail; a court date was noted for February 26, 2018. Prosecutors described the charges as arising from grossly negligent handling of a firearm while intoxicated, while Vergara asserted the shooting was accidental.

Anyone with information about the shooting in the 15400 block of Lefloss Avenue is asked to come forward.