There was a somber feeling in the air as skateboarders at the Village Skatepark remember their friend, Charley Ford. The 24-year-old was gunned down Sunday afternoon as he sat in a parked car in Compton.
"He was somebody that will make you feel you could push yourself to a further limit than you think you had," said friend Jose Villalvazo.
Deputies said Ford was in the passenger seat of a friend's car when a gunman opened fire. The driver and his baby girl were in the back seat, but they were not injured.
Ford's mother, who is battling cancer, said she was waiting for her son to come home.
"He's in a better place. He don't have to worry about nothing, me and no one. He's OK now," said Renita Lewis, Ford's mother.
A diverse group of skateboarders, united by their respect for Ford, gathered to honor his memory. Some of them spray-painted his image on their skateboards. He made a lasting impression on many in the crowd.
"I looked up to him a lot. He actually was the one that got me into skateboarding and made it look cool," said Ford's cousin, Geno Hardina.
Homicide investigators said the suspect ran from the scene. They have not released a suspect description. Anyone with information was asked to call Crime Stoppers (800) 222-TIPS.
