A Feud Between 2 Bloomington Neighbors Ends In Deadly Shooting

BLOOMINGTON (CBSLA.com) — Family and friends gathered in their Bloomington neighborood Monday night to remember a young man police said was killed by a neighbor during a feud.

On Sunday at 11:41 p.m., police were called to South Spruce Avenue at Grovewood Street about reports of a shooting victim.

Upon arrival, officers found Anthony Villanueva, 20, who had been shot multiple times and died at the scene, according to a press release.

Police arrested 19-year-old Kevin Gutierrez, who lives across the street.

Erika Ponciano said she could not understand why someone would shoot her oldest son.

"He was just a great kid. He was an amazing kid, lovable," she sobbed. "He wasn't a gang member. He wasn't looking for problems."

Ponciano said her son was working on his car when she went to bed Sunday night. A few hours later, she was awakened by the sound of gunfire.

"When we ran outside, he was already dead. He had a gunshot in here and his stomach. That guy took away part of my heart," Ponciano said.

Police said they believed a dispute between the victim and the suspect led to the shooting.

CBS2's Tina Patel talked to a few neighbors, who said they did not know of any problems between the two young men.

"He didn't deserve it because he didn't have no reason to kill. He didn't have a reason," Ponciano said.

She said she had seen Gutierrez a few times but never talked to him and never saw him talk to her son.

"I want to understand myself because he was ready for so many things, with the girlfriend, with me. We had so many plans," the victim's mother said.

Patel knocked on Gutierrez's door. But no one answered. One neighbor told her people in that house appeared to have moved out Monday afternoon just hours after the shooting.