Saith Mendez Obituary, Death; – A 13-year-old boy has tragically lost his life after being shot outside a gas station in Los Angeles, as reported by various news outlets.

On Saturday, August 23, Saith Mendez was waiting outside the 76 station in Pico Rivera when he was shot shortly before midnight, according to KTLA and CBS News, which cited the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

He was reportedly waiting for his mother to complete her work inside the gas station, as stated by the news outlets and NBC Los Angeles.

13-year-old boy killed outside gas station while waiting for mother to finish work

Detectives informed CBS News that a suspect, described as a man in his 20s, approached Mendez unexpectedly before opening fire. There was no argument between them, and no robbery occurred prior to the shooting, according to the detectives, as reported by the outlet.

The teenager was discovered with at least one gunshot wound. NBC Los Angeles reported that officials indicated the gunman shot the boy in the back multiple times.

“Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide investigators are responding to assist Pico Rivera Sheriff’s Station with a shooting death investigation,” the LAPD stated in a press release. “The incident was reported on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at approximately 11:45 p.m. in the 8800 block of Whittier Blvd, in Pico Rivera.”

They further stated, “The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.”

In a subsequent update, the department mentioned that they were “continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of a male Hispanic aged 13 years.” “At this time, the incident does not appear to be linked to the homicide that occurred on August 21, 2025, in Pico Rivera,” they added. “Currently, there is no information regarding suspects.”

The LAPD had previously confirmed that a man was killed at “8:56 PM on the 9400 block of Washington Boulevard in Pico Rivera.” According to KTLA, citing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the man was shot at a Shell gas station.

As reported by NBC Los Angeles, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting of Mendez. Family members, who remember Mendez as a curious and loving individual, shared their grief, according to CBS News.

A woman who knows Mendez’s mother told KTLA that she is homeless. “She’s homeless and she was living in a shelter in Long Beach and she would bring her son because she didn’t want to leave him there,” Christine Kreimann said. “When she was working with customers, he would come and pick up around the gas station for her.” At the time of publication, a GoFundMe page had so far raised over $9,000 of a $15,000 goal to help with funeral expenses for Mendez.

“As my cousin Favi is a single mother of 5, any donation or share means so much to us right now,” the description read. PEOPLE has contacted the LAPD, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Pico Rivera Sheriff’s Station for additional comment.