Julio Alberto Diaz-Castro, a 40-year-old Latino, was fatally shot in the Vermont-Slauson area of Los Angeles shortly before midnight on December 3, 2016. He was inside a liquor store in the 700 block of West Gage Avenue when a Latino male entered and opened fire. Diaz-Castro tried to flee and collapsed just outside the store; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

LAPD detectives say the shooting may be linked to an incident of car vandalism near the store about ten minutes earlier, but an exact motive remains unclear. The Criminal Gang Homicide Division is handling the investigation; no arrests or identified suspects have been announced and detectives are seeking information. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers.

If anyone saw activity around the 700 block of West Gage Avenue that night or has information about the vandalism incident described, please share what is known with investigators.