Tuesday, 28 July 2026, 14:09
Compton, California experienced a tragic July 4th weekend as two separate shootings left three people dead and several others wounded. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating both incidents, which occurred within hours of each other. The first shooting, at a large block party, claimed the life of a beloved community activist.
Around 11:20 p.m. on Saturday, July 4th, gunfire erupted at a party in the 700 block of West Laurel Street. A crowd of up to 300 people was present. Deputies arriving at the scene found a woman dead from gunshot wounds. The male victim, later identified as Eric Washington, died shortly after being transported to a hospital. Three other people were wounded, including a teenage girl and a child, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles. The woman and child suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and the man was listed in critical condition, authorities said.
Washington, 37, was a former staffer for California Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson) and a passionate anti-violence activist. According to Gipson, Washington was attempting to de-escalate a conflict when he was killed. “This bravery cost him his own life,” Gipson said in a statement. Washington was also recognized by UCLA’s Clinical & Translational Science Institute as an “influential change agent in social justice advocacy.” He graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas and earned a master's from Grambling State University. He was also part of the Watts Rising initiative. Gipson said Washington also served as field deputy for former Los Angeles City Councilmember Joe Buscaino. In an Instagram post, Buscaino said he was heartbroken to hear about Washington’s death. “Eric was so much more than a colleague. He was a son, brother, cousin, uncle, nephew, friend, mentor, and peacemaker,” he wrote. “He was a trailblazer and a public servant in the truest sense of the word.” Gipson also noted that Washington was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, one of the oldest African American fraternities in the U.S., and attended Compton College.
The second victim was identified by relatives as Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, a 19-year-old nursing student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She was visiting family when the shooting occurred. Her mother, Ebone Jenkins, said, “She was full of life. Very compassionate. Very giving. She would do anything for anybody that asked. It’s devastating she’s no longer amongst us.” Bordenave-Jenkins reportedly had plans to take family members to church on Sunday before visiting Knott’s Berry Farm with a cousin this week. Family members expressed deep anger and grief, noting that the victims were completely innocent and alleging that cruel, unusual behavior occurred in the crowd just moments before the gunfire. “This wasn’t supposed to happen to my little sister. She wasn’t affiliated with anything. She didn’t deserve this,” said Kayla Jenkins, Meah's sister.
Just a few blocks away, around 12:10 a.m. on Sunday, another shooting occurred near Grandee Avenue and 132nd Street. One man was pronounced dead at the scene, and another was hospitalized. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department stated there is no evidence linking this incident to the West Laurel Street shooting. The deceased was identified as 38-year-old Thaddeus Clark of Rialto.
On Monday, families of the victims, joined by community activists, held a news conference demanding action from the government to prevent further tragedy. “I have to go back to Texas by myself, and I don't get to talk to my best friend every day,” said Tina Johnson, Washington's mother. “My brother went there every year. I'm just so angry, because he died somewhere where he loved everybody, where he was loved,” said Washington's sister, Erica Washington. Jenkins' mother, Ebony Jenkins, said, “I'm not gonna allow my daughter's death to go in vain, cause she was mine and she made me proud.” Another family member added, “She had a purpose, and this wasn't that. I'm really trying to make sense of it, but it don't make sense.” Tina Johnson also described Washington as a "beacon of light" and said that he dedicated his life to serving others. “I don’t know what happened to humanity,” she said.
Compton Mayor Emma Sharif called the pain of Washington's loss “unimaginable” for his family members. “Violence has no place in Compton,” Sharif said. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also issued a statement on Washington's death, acknowledging his activism in Boyle Heights, where he was recently working to connect victims of the Lineage warehouse fire with resources, and his work to bring LA's youth together through the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles World Cup Youth Tournament. “His generosity of spirit and unwavering commitment to others will leave a lasting mark on Los Angeles,” Bass said. In a separate statement, Bass added, “Eric was committed to expanding opportunities for residents of Los Angeles’ public housing communities. Whether helping families recover from the tragedy in Boyle Heights by connecting them to critical resources or bringing youth from across the city together through HACLA’s World Cup Youth Tournament, he believed every Angeleno deserves to live in a safe community and every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive.”
Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic Hope, said that the shootings in Compton were tragedies that could have been prevented and that there were questions about whether the city and the Sheriff’s Department could have done more to keep people safe. Ali scheduled a “peace gathering to end gun violence” at 6 p.m. Monday outside the Compton Courthouse. The back-to-back violence prompted the community to come together to say, "Enough is enough."
Compton, a city in Los Angeles County, has a long history of gang violence and shootings. Community activists like Washington have worked tirelessly to reduce bloodshed. The July 4th weekend traditionally sees a spike in violent incidents across the region. The killings underscore the challenges faced by grassroots efforts to curb gun violence.
Compton has been the site of numerous high-profile shootings. In 2023, a similar block party shooting injured multiple people. The city has implemented various anti-violence programs, but incidents continue to occur. Washington’s death is particularly poignant because he was a leader in those efforts.
The loss of Eric Washington and Meah Bordenave-Jenkins has shaken the Compton community. As authorities search for suspects, residents are left grieving and demanding justice. Anyone with information is urged to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
