Family of innocent man killed in South LA hit-and-run call for state investigation into crash

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The loved ones of two innocent people who were killed in a hit-and-run crash after a driver sped away from an attempted traffic stop in South Los Angeles are now calling for a state investigation into the events leading up to the wreck.

Janisha Harris, 35, and Jamarea Keyes, 38, were on their way home from work early Friday morning when a driver ran a red light at the intersection of Manchester Avenue and Broadway, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
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Officers had attempted to pull over the suspect after seeing him speeding westbound on Manchester, but the driver refused to stop, police said.

Witnesses say the suspect was going between 80 mph to 90 mph. His car ended up slamming into the black sedan carrying Harris and Keyes, killing them.

READ ALSO | 2 innocent victims killed in South LA hit-and-run leave behind young kids: 'I wish this wasn't real'


However, family members of Keyes are questioning the actions taken by police.



"I just want to make everybody aware that what happened isn't right," said Jamarea Keyes' widow, Tanya Keyes. "I would like that the LAPD ... that they just stop chasing people on the street."

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Jamarea Keyes leaves behind four children. Harris leaves behind a son and a daughter, and they're all struggling to comprehend the heartbreaking and senseless loss.
"Just careless people, they don't really care about anybody else. They can't think of the other people's family," said Nekko Keyes, Jamarea Keyes' son during a vigil on Saturday. "It makes me angry to think that people would do that. Wouldn't care about other people."

Local activists and a family attorney want the California Attorney General's Office to investigate the crash.

"What I would like is for police to release their dashcam so that we know that it's a fact that what they're saying is true regarding whether or not they were in a high-speed chase with the suspects," said Jasmine Mines, the attorney representing Tanya Keyes.



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The three suspects involved fled on foot but were later taken into custody, police said. Their identities were not immediately released.



Police are investigating to see if drugs or alcohol may have played a role.

A GoFundMe page has been created for both victims:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-janisha-harris

https://www.gofundme.com/f/father-of-five-involved-in-a-fatal-accident