LOS ANGELES, CA – An 18-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in Long Beach, authorities said Wednesday.
The suspect, identified as Mario Amarion Jennings of Rancho Cucamonga, was taken into custody on Tuesday by Long Beach detectives with assistance from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
The shooting occurred on December 10, 2024, in the 900 block of Via Carmelitos. Officers responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 1:15 p.m. and found the victim, 32-year-old Dwayne Walton of Los Angeles, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the shooter fled before officers arrived. Following an investigation, homicide detectives identified Jennings as the suspect in Walton’s killing. Details on how Jennings was linked to the crime were not disclosed.
After locating him in Rancho Cucamonga, authorities arrested Jennings and transported him to Long Beach City Jail, where he was booked for murder. He is being held on $3 million bail.
The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation, and police have not provided information on whether Jennings and Walton knew each other.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the case to contact Homicide Detectives Eric Thai and Chasen Contreras at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips can be submitted through L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
