On Friday, Nov 22, 202,4 Tragedy occurred at a beloved spot in south-central California, Exposition Park. A teen cyclist, later identified as 16-year-old Jonathan Flores, was killed in a road rage incident in the parking lot of BMO Stadium, which is now presumed to be a homicide. LAPD was able to detain the suspects involved in the killing of Jonathan. A minor lost his life over a small incident that wasn’t meant to be taken seriously.
Officials are now calling this one of the most “Horrible tragedies.” Retired police detective Moses Castillo mentions, “It is one of those incidents which can be solved using the media, and the people there witnessed the situation. As vehicles with damages in the rear end and front end, collisions can already be used as suspicion that can be reported to the police”.
In addition, CHP Chief Chris Margaris expressed his condolences “On behalf of the CHP, I extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones mourning this tragic loss during the holidays.” He added, “We stand with you in this time of grief and are actively working to bring the person responsible to justice.”
The biking community was hit particularly hard because young teenagers enjoying life, exploring places, and learning new tricks with their friends must come to terms with the reality that their outlet for fun can be unsafe and potentially life-threatening.
This tragedy struck me because it made me think about how a person lost their life when they had no part in the road rage and how drivers are quick to lose their temper leading to reckless driving. I came upon the site of the incident after the car struck the teenager and seeing the whole situation unfold made me feel weak because I never experienced something like this. Witnessing the death of a teenager in person and then later seeing it leaked on social media is like a never-ending cycle because the story is being reported on every news channel and outlet.
A situation like this should never happen because teenagers are going to be teenagers and enjoy their freedom before they head into adulthood. My question now is, where was the security of the stadium when the whole case occurred? Knowing well that LAFC had a match the next day on Saturday Nov 23, 2024, there must have been someone who could have intervened to prevent this tragedy.
