LONG BEACH, Calif. – A man has been charged with the shooting death of a Long Beach high school student.
Troy Lamar Fox, 34, was charged with the murder of 17-year-old Briana Soto, who was fatally shot in March. He was also charged with four counts of attempted murder in connection with a separate shooting a month later. He also faces charges of having been convicted of committing serious felony crimes including attempted robbery and criminal threats.
If convicted on all counts, he faces life in prison.
On March 26, around 8:30 p.m., Briana Soto was walking home from work at McDonald’s when she was shot near 11th Street and Lewis Avenue. She died in the hospital three days later.
About a week later, on April 9, Fox was allegedly involved in a shooting. According to the LA County DA’s Office, he exited a car holding a rifle near an alley near Pine Avenue toward 14th Street and fired multiple shots at another vehicle containing four minors.
A motive for either shooting is unknown. It is also unclear if Soto was his target.
Fox is being held on $6 million bail.
“Briana Soto, a promising high school senior, was just steps from her home when she was tragically gunned down for no reason,” District Attorney Gascón said. “She was eagerly looking forward to celebrating her 18th birthday and senior prom and instead, her family and our community are left to grieve an unimaginable loss. No parent should ever have to endure such a heartbreaking tragedy.”