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August 8, 2023: Seven Men Indicted in Series of Fatal Shootings in Inglewood, Compton, and Los Angeles

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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced today that seven men have been indicted on charges related to a violent fatal shooting spree in Inglewood, Compton and Los Angeles between December 2021 and January 2022 that killed seven people and injured others.

“Today we mark a significant development in our ongoing efforts to combat gun violence.” District Attorney Gascón said. “Yesterday, my office obtained a 37-count indictment against seven individuals in connection with four separate incidents that resulted in the loss of seven lives, injuring many others, and traumatizing our Inglewood, Compton, and Los Angeles communities. Our prosecutors in the Community Violence Reduction Division will continue to work to ensure accountability on the part of the actors engaged in this year-long violent crime spree. We thank our law enforcement partners for their dedication and collaborative efforts in this complex investigation, collectively ensure the safety and well-being of our communities.”

“I'm proud of our Investigators for their relentless efforts to bring justice to the victims and their families. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners, the District Attorney's Office and community stakeholders in the shared vision of public safety that sustainably reduces crime, protects communities, and pursues justice for all,” Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said.

A grand jury returned the 37-count indictment, case BA514887, on August 7.

Kendale Taylor (07/02/1999) was charged with six counts of murder; two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime; and four counts of attempted murder.

Cory Ervin (05/28/1993) was charged with seven counts of murder; five counts of conspiracy to commit a crime; seven counts of attempted murder; two counts of assault with an assault weapon; and four counts of possession of firearm by a felon.

Kalil Santos (12/29/2000) was charged with seven counts of murder; five counts of conspiracy to commit a crime; seven counts of attempted murder; two counts of assault with an assault weapon; and three count of possession of firearm by a felon.

Kevin Salter (05/26/2002) was charged with two counts of murder; four counts of conspiracy to commit a crime; two counts of attempted murder; one count of assault with an assault weapon; and two counts of possession of firearm by a felon.

Terrence Adams (08/30/1989) was charged with two counts of murder; four counts of conspiracy to commit a crime; two counts of attempted murder; one count of assault with an assault weapon; and two counts of possession of firearm by a felon.

Marvin Linnear (03/03/1968) was charged with three counts of murder; five counts of conspiracy to commit a crime; three counts of attempted murder; two counts of assault with an assault weapon; and three counts of possession of firearm by a felon.

Semaj Brown (06/06/1998) was charged with one count of murder; one count of conspiracy to commit a crime; one count of attempted murder; one count of assault with an assault weapon; one count of possession of firearm by a felon.

All defendants pleaded not guilty to their respective charges at an arraignment on Aug. 7.

Investigators say on December 6, 2021, Taylor, Ervin, Santos, Salter and Adams allegedly drove to an RV park at 195 E. 116th place in Los Angeles where several of the men shot multiple bullets into an RV killing two men.

On December 7, 2021, Ervin, Santos, Salter and Adams allegedly drove to an Arco gas station on the 100 block of East El Segundo Boulevard in Los Angeles where Santos, Salter and Adams got out of the vehicle and shot multiple rounds at two people sitting in a parked car. A third man sitting in another vehicle also was shot. All three survived.

On December 14, 2021, Ervin, Santos and Brown allegedly drove to a residence near the city of Compton where Brown and Santos fired multiple rounds at a man, killing him; and injuring another person who was nearby.

On January 23, 2022, Taylor, Ervin, and Santos traveled to a residence in the city of Inglewood where a birthday party was taking place. They shot and killed four individuals. Others who were near the property survived.

They are scheduled to return to court for a pretrial conference on Sept. 13 in Dept. J at the Compton Courthouse.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department and the Inglewood Police Department.