Tavar Eugene Thomas was 19 when he died after being shot on January 23, 2018, in the 400 block of West 102nd Street in the Vermont Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. Coroner’s records state Thomas and another man argued outside a home around 1:45 p.m. on January 23; the argument continued inside, where the man pulled a gun and shot Thomas. Thomas was taken to hospital and died the next day at 6:14 p.m.

Police said the shooting grew out of an ongoing dispute between Thomas and the gunman, although authorities did not disclose the specifics of that dispute. The Los Angeles Police Department identified 22-year-old Kenneth Benjamin as the suspect; Benjamin was arrested on March 13, 2018, and charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. He pleaded not guilty and had a court appearance set for March 28, 2018.

Anyone who knew Tavar Thomas or has information about the dispute or the shooting is asked to come forward.