Two arrested in connection with fatal shooting at Summer Night Lights program in Wilmington

Two people have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a "Summer Night Lights" program volunteer in Wilmington last summer.

The shooting happened on July 27, 2023, at around 10 p.m. outside of the Wilmington Recreation Center, located in the 300 block of N. Neptune Avenue, where 46-year-old Carson man Jose Quezada was volunteering at an event targeted towards keeping local youth off the street.

Los Angeles Police Department investigators have not yet provided information on the two suspects arrested, but are expected to provide further details at a press conference on Thursday.

Related: Another Summer Night Lights shooting leaves an already grieving family calling for justice

At the time of the shooting, detectives said that the suspects were seen wearing dark-colored clothing as they fled from the area on foot. Quezada was shot as he left the event, where he cooked for the attendees.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also offered a statement upon learning of the shooting last year.

"Last night, a dedicated Wilmington community member and someone who has volunteered with Summer Night Lights to uplift his community was killed in a horrific act of violence," the statement said. "This community leader lost his life to the very type of violence he was working so hard to prevent. I join his loved ones in grieving his loss. This incident is a tragic reminder that we must fight even harder to ensure that our communities have the tools that they need to stop this senseless violence."

Summer Night Lights events are held in more than 40 locations across Los Angeles, promoting anti-gang violence and offering safe havens for families impacted by gang operations in their areas.