UPDATE: Murder Shatters Quiet Belmont Shore Neighborhood

A late-night argument that began in a local bar ended in gunfire early Saturday morning, leaving one man dead on a quiet Belmont Shore street just off Second Street’s bustling nightlife corridor.

According to the Long Beach Police Department, officers responded at approximately 1:39 a.m. on October 25 to reports of a shooting in the 100 block of La Verne Avenue. When they arrived, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite officers’ attempts to render medical aid, Long Beach Fire Department paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

Police said the preliminary investigation indicates that “a group of subjects got into an altercation related to an incident that started at a local bar earlier in the evening.” During the confrontation outside on La Verne Avenue, a male suspect “produced a firearm and shot the victim before fleeing in a vehicle.”

Identity Learned at Memorial

The department’s press release stated that the victim’s identity was being withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Los Angeles County Department of the Medical Examiner, which later confirmed his identity and that he died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

The Beachcomber independently learned the victim’s name later that morning while speaking with relatives gathered at an impromptu memorial on La Verne Avenue.

Family members at the scene identified the victim as Jeremy Spears, 32, of Long Beach. Candles, flowers, and photographs now line the sidewalk where the shooting occurred.

Jeremy’s cousin, Brian Spears, 36, told the Beachcomber that police had notified the victim’s grandfather early that morning. “All I know is there was an argument, and somebody shot him,” he said, visibly shaken. “We haven’t been told much of anything else.”

Neighbors and nearby business owners said word spread quickly that the dispute began between two women outside a nearby bar. When Jeremy intervened, an unidentified man allegedly drew a gun and fired. Those details, however, have not been confirmed by police.

Asked whether his cousin had any gang involvement, Brian was firm: “Absolutely not.”

Arrests Announced

On October 26, LBPD homicide detectives announced the arrests of two suspects in connection with the killing:

• Jason Loving, 41, of Harbor City — arrested in Compton and booked on charges of murder, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and violation of a restraining order. His bail was set at $2 million.

• Dasmine Hall, 31, of Compton — arrested in Compton and booked for murder and accessory to murder, also held on $2 million bail. The LA District Attorney later declined to file charges against her for lack of evidence.

Police said the case remains under investigation.

Community Reaction

The killing has shaken this otherwise quiet residential neighborhood nestled between Second Street’s bars and the beach. Throughout the weekend, neighbors stopped by the growing memorial—some in disbelief, others angry that another nightlife-related dispute ended in tragedy.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said one resident who’s lived on the block for 20 years. “We keep asking when the city’s going to take safety around here seriously.”

Related Coverage

This story appears alongside a Beachcomber report examining the pattern of nightlife-related violence and safety gaps along Second Street, including recent community calls for proactive measures by city officials, the police department, and the Belmont Shore Business Association to prevent future tragedies.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Homicide Detectives Reyes or Temblador at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or via the P3 Tips app.

Stephen Downing is a Long Beach resident and a retired LAPD deputy chief of police.