8-Year-Old Boy Killed in a Drive-By Shooting in Pomona

February 24, 2017

Outrage and grief have struck a neighborhood in Pomona, California after an 8-year-old boy adopted from Taiwan was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting incident.

According to local authorities, Jonah Min Hwang was with his adoptive family visiting the home of friends from their local church on Monday evening when the shooting happened.

Reports indicated that a car had pulled up outside the home in the 1100 block of West 11th Street at around 6:36 p.m and fired at least four shots. Jonah was struck with one bullet in the head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was eventually pronounced dead, CBS LA reported.

Couple Karen and Johnny Hwang adopted the boy from an orphanage in Taiwan and brought him to the United States less than three years ago.

“He had an infectious smile and loved everyone and everything: sports, wrestling with his dad, running, laughing, superheroes,” said Jonah’s adoptive parents in a statement posted on a GoFundMe campaign set up by a relative. “With his playful demeanor, he adapted almost immediately to life in the United States and became a full-blooded American in no time at all.”

Local authorities acknowledged being stumped on the motive for this drive-by.

“I’m sure it was not their intention to kill an 8-year-old child. Now that they know that information, the right thing to do is to step forward and own what they did,” Pomona Police Lt. Eddie Vasquez was quoted as saying.

This attack was reportedly the second time the house has been peppered with bullets by unknown assailants. No one was home in the last shooting that occurred just less than a month ago. Residents of the attacked home, a pair of local teachers, have been described by neighbors as good, church-going people.

“This was a truly innocent family,” Vasquez said.

Pomona Police have issued a plea for anyone with information on the fatal shooting to call the police department at (909) 620-2085).

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