Gavin Orozco-Unzueta, a 19-year-old Hispanic man from Sylmar, California, was a student finding his way in the world. A 2023 graduate of John F. Kennedy High School, he had enrolled full-time at College of the Canyons in the fall of that year and was majoring in real estate. To his family, he was a typical teenager who loved to fish, snowboard, bowl, and hike. A big Dodgers fan, Gavin also enjoyed playing pool, baseball, basketball, and video games, and especially loved spending time with his cousins and family.
In the early morning hours of May 1, 2024, Gavin was fatally shot in a car-to-car shooting in the Granada Hills area of Los Angeles. At approximately 12:55 a.m., he was a passenger in a vehicle near Rinaldi Street and Shoshone Avenue when someone in another car opened fire. Gavin was struck by multiple gunshots and was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Two other people were in the car with him and survived the attack; the driver was not injured.
The Los Angeles Police Department launched an investigation into what the College of the Canyons community called a "horrific and senseless tragedy." In the days that followed, detectives asked for help from the public, seeking witnesses who might have been in the area of Braemore Road between Tampa Avenue and Reseda Boulevard between 11:30 p.m. the night before and the time of the shooting. They were particularly interested in anyone who might have seen a confrontation between two white vehicles.
After several months of investigation, authorities made an arrest in the case. On August 28, 2024, LAPD officers took 23-year-old Grigor Hovsepyan into custody in connection with the murder. He was subsequently charged with one count of murder for the death of Gavin Orozco-Unzueta and two counts of attempted murder for the other two occupants of the vehicle.
On August 30, 2024, Grigor Hovsepyan appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the murder and attempted murder charges. As of September 2024, his case was proceeding through the court system.
