Authorities said the 15-year-old was shot after an altercation outside a business near Los Cerritos Center.
CERRITOS, CA — A 15-year-old boy was fatally shot Saturday afternoon near a Chick-fil-A at Los Cerritos Center, and homicide detectives were searching for the person who fled after the shooting, authorities said.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the boy as Darnell Jones. The shooting brought a large sheriff’s response to the 18600 block of Gridley Road, near the busy mall area, where investigators marked evidence and closed off part of the scene. No arrest had been announced by Monday.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were called to the area at about 4 p.m. Saturday after reports of a shooting. Deputies found Darnell with a gunshot wound and medical aid was provided before he was taken to a hospital, where he died. Investigators later said an altercation happened outside a local business before the suspect shot him and ran away on foot. The Sheriff’s Department said no other people were reported shot.
Officials had not released a suspect description, a motive or details on what led to the dispute. Aerial video from the area showed sheriff’s patrol vehicles around the Chick-fil-A parking lot, yellow crime scene tape and evidence markers near the drive-thru lane. The restaurant is listed at 18605 Gridley Road, inside the commercial area tied to Los Cerritos Center. Deputies asked people to avoid the area Saturday while homicide detectives worked the scene.
Darnell’s family said he was the youngest of eight children and was preparing to be a junior at Magnolia High School in Anaheim. His father, Tyrell Jones, said his son was “a good boy” and remembered taking him to the same shopping center more than a year earlier to buy basketball shoes. “I’m just grasping and searching for anything positive I can use to be strong for my family,” Jones said.
The case is being handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau. Detectives were reviewing the shooting scene, statements and any available video as they worked to identify the person who fled. Authorities had not said whether the suspect was known to Darnell or whether the argument involved others. The Medical Examiner’s public identification moved the case from an unnamed juvenile death investigation to a homicide inquiry centered on a 15-year-old student.
The shooting happened in a well-traveled retail area near restaurants, parking lots and mall traffic. Family comments focused on Darnell’s age and the sudden loss. Tyrell Jones said parents and communities need to teach young people care and compassion. “We need more community. We need more love,” he said. “We need to teach our youngins, it’s OK not to be OK.”
No court date had been set because no arrest had been announced. As of Monday, June 15, detectives were still seeking information from witnesses and working to determine the events before the gunfire.
Author note: Last updated June 15, 2026.