Suspect arrested in fatal shooting of 17-year-old Long Beach girl

A suspect has been arrested in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old Long Beach girl who was killed while walking home.

The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Troy Lamar Fox of Long Beach, who is accused of killing Briana Soto in March, authorities said.

Authorities said they pursued DNA, video and cellphone evidence to identify Fox, who they discovered was already in Los Angeles County sheriff’s custody on an unrelated weapons violation.

According to the Long Beach Press-Telegram, Soto had been walking home the night of March 26 while talking to her mother on the phone. She was shot shortly after hanging up and just steps away from her door near 11th Street and Lewis Avenue, the paper quoted police as saying.

“Briana Soto was just 17 years old when she was tragically taken away from her family,” Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said in a statement Friday. “We will be working closely with our partners throughout the criminal justice system to ensure Briana and her family receive the justice they deserve.”

In comments to local TV stations, those who knew Soto described her as sweet and a hard worker.

In addition to being arrested in the killing of Soto, Fox was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in a separate shooting that occurred in April near the 1300 block of Pine Avenue.