Vigil honors father gunned down in front of his wife, 2 young children at South LA taco stand

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An emotional vigil was held Saturday night for a 30-year-old father who was gunned down in front of his wife and two children after they stopped to get food at a taco stand in South Los Angeles.

James Vargas -- known as "Jimmy" to his family -- was shot on Nov. 14 after a gunman approached him and accused him of being a gang member.

"My brother is never going to come back," Billy Vargas said at the vigil, "and it's going to affect me, my family, his kids, his wife, over something that should not have happened."

The shooting occurred near the intersection of Central Avenue and 92nd Street. According to James Vargas' family members, the suspect asked him where he was from -- and before Vargas could even answer, the gunman opened fire.

Vargas' wife, 6-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son were sitting in the family's car at the time.

"It's really unfair for him just to get shot, just randomly, because someone felt like it," said Kamyt Alban, the victim's cousin. "He's not even gang-affiliated or anything like that."

A family is struggling with a shocking loss after a young father was shot to death in front of his wife and two children in South Los Angeles while they were out picking up food.

On Saturday, friends and loved ones gathered at the scene of the shooting to honor the man they described as a devoted father.

"If we can take these evil people off the streets -- that don't deserve to be roaming out like that," Billy Vargas said. "Have some justice, hold whoever did this accountable for this evil act."

The shooter and a getaway driver were said to have fled in a green Chevy Tahoe.

The family asked for anyone with information about the case to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Vargas' wife and children.