Police: Northlake teen’s fatal shooting was gang retaliation

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Updated: March 17, 2012 8:05AM

Northlake police are certain gang retaliation was behind the shooting death of an 18-year-old who was watching TV at home early Feb. 7 when five bullets came through his living room window.

One of the bullets struck James Romero in the arm and went through his chest at 12:05 a.m. at his home on the 200 block of South 45th Avenue, said Northlake Police Chief Dennis Koletsos.

Romero, who was pronounced dead a short time later at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, had been home with his parents and at least one brother. No one else was injured.

The gunman fired the shots from the sidewalk a few yards away.

No one was in custody as of press time and Northlake police are asking for any tips that might lead to the shooter.

It was Northlake’s first murder of the year.

Last year, the town of about 12,000 had one murder. It was not gang-related.

“We certainly have a gang problem ... we devote a great deal of resources to that issue, but this is not a common occurrence,” said Koletsos.

Police are continuing to investigate the shooting death.

“Someone fired several shots through his window,” Comdr.. Jay Militello said. “He was struck in the chest and pronounced dead at Gottlieb Hospital.”

Staff writer Mark Lawton contributed to this report.