Loved ones gathered in Los Angeles on Saturday to honor the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.
The L.A. chapter of Parents of Murdered Children hosted the event at 12 p.m. in Baldwin Park to provide an opportunity for those affected to share stories of their lost one, enjoy their favorite meals and reflect on the love they left behind.
One of Los Angeles’ most recent homicide victims is Anthony Rivera, 48, a driver who lost his life during an MTA bus hijacking on Sept. 25.
Rivera was on his regular metro bus early in the morning, almost home from work, when a man identified as 51-year-old Lamont Campbell allegedly got into an argument with him, and hijacked the bus in South L.A.
He held, the driver, Rivera, and another passenger at gunpoint, and led police on a low-speed pursuit that ended in downtown L.A., according to police.
The driver was able to stay calm and pushed his panic button to alert police to what was happening.
Once LAPD officers gained access to the bus, they found Rivera with multiple gunshot wounds.
The driver and the other passenger survived.
Rivera’s friends and family told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff that they are remembering him as a man who always looked out for others.
“There was not a bad bone in his body,” said his mother, Teresa Flores. “Even if you were a stranger, he would go take you to eat. That’s the way my son was.”
Campbell is in custody, and a case against him will be presented to the District Attorney’s office on Monday.
“He was just trying to get home from his very long shift as a parking lot attendant at Dodger Stadium,” said his cousin, Sarah Beck. “All he wanted to do was get home safely, but he never made it home and now we’re without him, his love and his embrace.”