Perez was a sophomore at Mendez High School, the new math, science and engineering learning center in Boyle Heights. The surveillance footage shows the suspect holding a handgun in his or her right hand.
"We haven't received any confirmation, on why it was caused or the reason for it. We're doing extensive background on the individual ourselves right now," described Detective Robert Farias of LAPD. "It could have been something personal or it could have been a random act. We don't know at this point in time, but we're trying to get to that point."
"This is a young person who was going to a new school in the neighborhood. For all accounts, this is a school that's asking a lot of their students, and it may have been that this student would go on to get his education and move on. It's a great new school, and it's just unfortunate that one of its students has passed," said Jose Huizar of the Los Angeles City Council.
If you have any information regarding this case, you're urged to call the LAPD at 1-877-527-3247.
