UPDATE, JULY 6, 4:09 P.M.: The Buena Park Police Department has released the video below the ad from the fatal shooting of Maher Yousef in hopes that will lead to the identification of the killers of the 24-year-old La Mirada resident. BPPD also asked that this new hotline number for information on the case be prominently featured: 714-562-3969.
Again: 714-562-3969.
ORIGINAL POST, JULY 3, 10:23 A.M.: A 24-year-old La Mirada man was gunned down outside a Buena Park gasoline station mini-mart Friday night, apparently in connection with his employment at a check-cashing business.
Maher Yousef sat behind the wheel of his vehicle while his passenger went inside the Mobil mini-mart at 5989 Beach Blvd. around 10:30 p.m., when three men approached him, according to Buena Park Police Sgt. Mike Lovchik.
All three strangers carried handguns as they demanded money from Yousef, who along with his fellow-employee passenger had just driven from the check-cashing business, Lovchik said.
A brief struggle broke out between Yousef and one gunman at the driver’s side window, prompting a second gunman to walk over to the open passenger door, stick his weapon inside the cabin and shoot the driver in the head at close range, Lovchik said.
The three men fled the area north on foot (and empty-handed), and Yousef’s passenger was unharmed, the spokesman added.
Police arrived and Yousef was taken in critical condition to UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, where he was pronounced dead after arrival.
A GoFundMe page has been started to help Yousef’s family.
Witnesses gave homicide detectives not much to go on as far as descriptions of the gunmen, but they were captured on surveillance video. All three were African American.
One was in his 20s, about 5-foot-10, with a heavy build and wearing a brown hoodie, a checkered shirt, dark pants and blue shoes. Another was 20 to 30, about 6-foot-2, 200 pounds with a shaved head and possible facial hair and wearing a striped V-neck shirt, jeans and white tennis shoes. The third gunman was in his 20s, about 5-foot-8 with a thin build and wearing a dark hoodie.
They are believed to have followed the pair in the car from the check-cashing business, Lovchik says.
Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to contact the Buena Park Police Department at (714) 562-3969.
