Police said some witnesses heard the gunshots, and others heard screeching tires.
Family members say that about three years ago, "Kenny" Cabrera turned away from a dangerous life of drugs and more and found religion at Praise Chapel in Whittier. He attended the church every Sunday with his mother, Juanita, who now mourns his sudden death.
"He was doing so good," said Juanita Cabrera. "I don't know why these things have to happen."
Family members say that on Sunday afternoon after church, Kenny left his mother's Whittier home, walked to the end of the street on the 11200 block of Rivera Road. There, he waited to be picked up by a group of Christian brothers for a ministry trip to a men's shelter. As he waited, someone shot him dead.
Police have not determined a motive for the killing and have not identified any suspects.
"There's no doubt that he's with the lord now," said Eddie Cabrera, Kenneth's brother. "He changed his life at the right time, and he's with the lord."
Family and friends say after all these years of living a clean life devoted to helping people, Kenny had no enemies.
"He was going to church, going outreaching, going and talking to other brothers, hanging around with a lot of Christians, just changing his life, you know, miraculously," said Don Martinez, a friend of Kenneth's.
Kenneth's mother says her son would want her to encourage all other troubled people out there that he was trying to help to stay on the right path and to never give up.
"God turned his life around," said Juanita. "He wanted to share that it can be done, that people can change with God's help, because he did it."
Anyone with information is urged to call the L.A. County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
