Community members gathered to denounce the recent killing of 12-year-old Eric Gregory Brown III during a peace rally held outside Long Beach City Hall on Wednesday, May 16.
“It’s a sad time for the city,” said Jessica Quintana, executive director of nonprofit Centro CHA. “What we need to do as community advocates and leaders is to ensure that we provide the safety to ensure that we have justice and peace in our community.”
On Tuesday, May 9, officers with the Long Beach Police Department responded to the 2200 block of Lewis Avenue, between Martin Luther King Jr. and Orange avenues, around 11:30 p.m.
At the scene, police located two children who had been shot: Eric and a 14-year-old girl. Both were transferred to a hospital, where Eric died due to his injuries. The girl’s injuries were not life-threatening.
According to police, the two victims were walking with another 13-year-old girl on the sidewalk when a vehicle occupied by at least two males drove up to them. Then an unknown number of people inside the vehicle opened fire on the children.
The 13-year-old girl walking with the two victims was unharmed.
Community organizers, city officials, clergy and members of Eric’s family took turns speaking to the crowd, many holding signs with the words “Peace,” “Enough is Enough,” and more.
Reverend Leon Wood asks members of the crowd outside of Long Beach City Hall during a rally to oppose gun violence to pray with him on May 16, 2023. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
Long Beach Councilmember Al Austin Speaks to media and some of the crowd that assembled during a rally at Long Beach City Hall on May 16, 2023. The rally was to oppose gun violence and call on city leadership to use all effort to find the killer of 12-year-old Eric Brown. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
14-year-old Sean Tatum holds a sign saying “Peace” while attending a rally after the death of 12-year-old Eric Brown due to gun violence on May 16, 2023. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
Levinia Brown, cousin of Eric Brown a 12-year-old that was shot and killed in Long Beach speaks to the crowd of rally attendees outside of Long Beach CIty Hall on May 16, 2023. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)
“The time has come for us to hold hands, to look at each other, to have love in our hearts and a true care and feeling for each other,” Reverend Leon Wood said.
Eric’s cousin, Levinia Brown, told the crowd that she wanted them to know Eric as more than a child victim, describing him as a joyous and fearless boy with a radiant smile.
“When you hear [of] a child dying, you just hear how old they are […],” Levinia Brown said. “But it’s deeper. It’s the life and the gifts that that person had inside of them.”
As of Wednesday, May 17, a GoFundMe campaign created by Eric’s family to help pay for his funeral had reached $27,317 of its $50,000 goal.
Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call Dets. Michael Hubbard or Jesus Espinoza at 562-570-7244, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. Tipsters may also use the website www.lacrimestoppers.org.
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