New evidence is coming to light as community members pay tribute to the 12-year-old Lemon Grove student killed at a vacant house party in National City late Friday night.
A half dozen shots fired into a crowd killed Elijah Smith and injured four teenagers just before midnight.
A forensic expert might glean a great deal from neighbor Bibiana Salazar’s surveillance camera recording. It was pointed at the backyard at the time of the house party shooting.
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Six shots were fired in a matter of four seconds. One shot, then a slight delay, then five more in rapid succession.
“It was scary to know it was so many kids to know that it was gunshots,” Salazar said.
Police say the four teens injured — ages 14, 15, 17 and 18 — were either treated and released from the hospital or are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
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Elijah Smith, a Lemon Grove Academy middle schooler, would not survive his wounds.
“He cared so much. He had the biggest heart ever,” said Elijah Smith’s sister, Oakley Smith.
Elijah Smith was killed after shots rang out at a N Avenue house party. The home is vacant, and according to Salazar, it was the second house party there in the last two weekends.
“It’s crazy because they are so young,” Salazar said.
By most accounts, the party was advertised on social media, and it attracted more than 100 people — most of them teens and young adults. Elijah Smith’s mother says he snuck away while she wasn’t home.
“He was supposed to be home. He wasn’t supposed to leave the house. I don’t know who he went with, whether it was friends, we’re trying to find that out,“ said Sophia Alvarez Smith, Elijah Smith’s mother.
A memorial of flowers and candles at the driveway apron is starting to form. Classmate Myleya Oden is a close friend.
“I am going to remember Eli as somebody who is kind and a big-hearted person,” she said.
Myleya describes a very difficult first day back to school since the shooting for her and other students.
“Everybody is just taking it kind of slowly. What’s going on with Eli, and what’s going on with his family? A lot of us are thinking about his family,” she said.
Neighbors say they complained about the party noise coming from the vacant home on the hill to National City police, although investigators have not verified that.
There is no changing the outcome of the last gathering, but private security is now watching the property to prevent another such tragedy.
The vacant property owner is listed as Big Hill OZ LLC. The law firm representing the owner on Tuesday shared the following statement with NBC 7 on behalf of the owner:
“We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to the victims and their families, who have been impacted by this senseless act of violence.
"We acquired the property with the intent of redeveloping the two structures that were no longer habitable. Prior to this tragedy we have been diligently processing a demolition permit with the City to remove the buildings and clear brush.
"The property has not been abandoned. Our demolition permit application is currently pending and while we await a decision we took multiple actions to secure the property and discourage trespassers from entering. This included boarding up the property, posting signs forbidding trespassing and cutting off water and electricity.
"We have also coordinated multiple police actions to prevent transient activity on the property. Lastly, representatives of ownership visited the property regularly. We are fully cooperating with the authorities and hope that the perpetrators of this illegal activity on our property will be brought to justice."
Police say they don’t have a description of the suspect or suspects and that the shooter fled the area.
