A 15-year-old boy was arrested on Thursday in Long Beach after allegedly shooting and killing a homeless man. The incident took place early in the morning on November 24, around 2 a.m., near an encampment in the 2600 block of East Ocean Boulevard.
When police arrived at the scene, they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds. One man was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover, while the other, identified as 51-year-old Frank Suggs, was pronounced dead at the scene. Suggs had been living on the streets for several years, struggling with mental health and substance use issues.
Authorities have not released the name of the teenager, but he is being held without bail at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. He faces charges of murder, and detectives plan to present the case to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office for further action next week.
The motive behind the shooting is still under investigation. In California, minors aged 14 and 15 cannot be tried as adults for murder due to a law that took effect in 2019. If convicted, the teenager could remain in custody until he turns 25.
Frank Suggs’s brother expressed mixed feelings about the arrest, feeling grateful that someone was caught but saddened by the age of the suspect. Suggs had moved to California from Indiana about eight years ago and had been homeless for several years before his death.
This tragic event highlights ongoing issues surrounding homelessness and youth violence in the city. It raises questions about the circumstances that lead young individuals to commit such acts and the support systems in place for both the homeless community and at-risk youth.