SUICIDE ENDS FELON'S STANDOFF; POLICE CITE `THREE STRIKES' LAW AS FACTOR.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer A gang member facing the possibility of life in prison barricaded bar·ri·cade n. 1. A structure set up across a route of access to obstruct the passage of an enemy. 2. Something that serves as an obstacle; a barrier. See Synonyms at bulwark. tr.v. himself in an apartment Wednesday and fatally shot himself as negotiators tried to convince him to surrender, police said. Ronald Figueroa, 23, of East Los Angeles East Los Angeles, uninc. city (1990 pop. 126,379), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles, in an industrial area. It has a large Mexican-American population. There is a performing arts center and a cultural center. A junior college is there. was wanted on warrants for murder and assault with a deadly weapon Assault with a Deadly Weapon is the term used to describe the act of threatening to harm one or more people by using a weapon (usually a firearm). Here, assault must be differentiated from battery as they are often confused. Assault is threatening to use force. , stemming from two attacks, including the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old woman. ``We've cleared two crimes at this location,'' said Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. police spokesman Lt. Anthony Alba. ``The suspect was a primary suspect in a homicide investigation, although at the time that the officers made entry they certainly didn't want to provide that information to him in hopes of taking him into custody and discussing his involvement. ``However, the suspect apparently realized that he was wanted probably for more serious crimes, and that's probably why he took his own life,'' Alba said. Figueroa, also known as ``Lil' Ronnie,'' shot himself with a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun shortly after 8:20 a.m., when he locked himself in a rear bedroom of an apartment in the 14900 block of Burbank Boulevard, Alba said. Experts said the ``three strikes, you're out'' sentencing law may drive some convicted felons to commit acts of desperation when facing arrest because it carries a prison term of 25 years to life. ``There appears to be an increase in instances of acts of desperation of individuals, particularly those charged with three strikes cases,'' said Assistant Public Defender public defender, governmental official who represents indigent persons accused of crime. U.S. Supreme Court decisions expanding the right to counsel to pretrial proceedings and holding that a person cannot be sentenced to even one day in jail unless a lawyer was Robert Kalunian. ``There's been a number of escapes or attempted escapes. There's also been a number of individuals who have acted out in court.'' Alba agreed that the 4-year-old law seems to prompt suspects to act more aggressively. ``Third strikers and second strikers facing a third strike have performed violent acts before, based on the theory that they're going to jail for long time. It's not unusual,'' Alba said. ``We've had several armed situations involving third strikers. They resist or commit suicide Verb 1. commit suicide - kill oneself; "the terminally ill patient committed suicide" kill - cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly; "This man killed several people when he tried to rob a bank"; "The farmer killed a pig for the holidays" .'' Figueroa, a known gang member who had committed two felonies in the past, faced a prison sentence of 25 years to life if convicted of a new crime, Alba said. He was wanted in connection with the murder of Lisett Mesa, 21, of East Los Angeles, who was shot to death May 24 while riding in a vehicle in Montecito Heights. Three other people in the vehicle were injured. Figueroa also faced an arrest warrant for assault with a deadly weapon, using a firearm firearm, device consisting essentially of a straight tube to propel shot, shell, or bullets by the explosion of gunpowder. Although the Chinese discovered gunpowder as early as the 9th cent., they did not develop firearms until the mid-14th cent. . About a week after the Montecito Heights slaying, Figueroa and an accomplice accomplice: see accessory. shot into an apartment building in the 3800 block of Monterey Road, injuring a 15-year-old girl in the stomach, police said. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, map PHOTO (1) Yolanda Vasquez, left, a friend of slaying suspect Ronald Figueroa, is detained de·tain tr.v. de·tained, de·tain·ing, de·tains 1. To keep from proceeding; delay or retard. 2. To keep in custody or temporary confinement: by police Wednesday during Figueroa's standoff. (2) SWAT team members move in to apprehend Figueroa in Van Nuys. Figueroa committed suicide at the scene, police said. Gus Ruelas/Daily News Map: Van Nuys Barricaded suspect |
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