Carrie Jean Melvin, 30
Posted July 7, 2015
Shortly after 10 p.m., Melvin and her boyfriend were walking north on McCadden Place and were on their way to grab food when a black man walked up to the two and opened fire on the woman, police said.
The gunman then jumped into a black sedan and drove off, away from the popular tourist area.
Melvin was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators are still trying to determine why Melvin, 30, but not other people on the street at the time, was shot. Her boyfriend was unharmed.
There was no initial evidence suggesting the shooting was part of a botched robbery, LAPD Det. John Skaggs said. There was also no conversation between the couple and the gunman before he opened fire.
“We just don’t know,” Skaggs said. “On the one hand, she didn’t have any known enemies. On the other hand it looks like it was directed toward her … We’re looking at all angles.”
Melvin’s father called his daughter’s death “incredibly senseless.” Bernie Melvin said she had studied film at UC Santa Cruz and moved to Hollywood about four years ago to break into the entertainment industry. Like many young Angelenos, he said, Carrie Melvin worked several jobs – waitressing, bartending – while pursuing that dream.
“She was really kind of spreading her wings,” he said. “It’s an extreme loss to us. She had a lot to give and her life was cut short.”
Skaggs said that investigators believe the shooting was an isolated incident because the circumstances didn’t match any recent crimes.
Initial information suggests that the gunman acted alone. He was described as a male black in his mid-20s, about 6 feet tall, wearing dark clothes, including a dark hooded jacket.
Anyone with information can call detectives at (213) 382-9470. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.