Aug 14, 2007 10:02 pm US/Pacific

See A Tagger? Police Say Don't Confront Them

(CBS) PICO RIVERA, Calif. Authorities advised the public Tuesday not to confront taggers, in response to the fatal shooting of a Pico Rivera woman who flashed her car lights at one.

"We want to be contacted as soon as possible, with any kind of information -- license plate numbers or description of the suspects," sheriff's Deputy Johnnie Jones said. "Do not put yourself at any danger or risk because some of these folks can be very dangerous."

Maria Hicks, 58, flashed her vehicle lights and honked her horn at a male she saw tagging a wall at San Gabriel River Parkway and Woodford Street shortly before 10 on Friday night, said Deputy Maribel Rizo.

As she followed the tagger who was walking away from the wall, a gray compact car with an unknown number of male suspects, drove up behind her and someone fired several rounds at her, Rizo said.

Hicks died of a wound shortly before noon Monday, according to the sheriff's department.

Neighborhood residents repainted the wall where Hicks first saw the tagger and placed lit candles and flowers there.

No arrests have been made. The suspect is described as "very dangerous," according to NBC4.

Hicks was a grandmother of eight and described as a quiet and caring person.

Hicks "paid a high price for the idea of law and order," said Hicks’ brother, Ruben Quintero, an English literature professor at Cal State Los Angeles. "I think we shouldn't give up on that idea since she has already paid the price. We should hold onto this idea of being civilized."

Anyone with information about the shooting can contact the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

Quoted: But it's art and freedom of speech!

I spent 350 dolla yesterday painting over grafitti on one of my properties

I got heir freedom and speech

Hey maybe the walls can be painted with the brains and blood of the multiple assailants.

Someone caught a tagger and turned him over to me once. The tagger boasted that the wall was ugly and therefore he had a right to tag it.  To his delight, I agreed with him.  He had a big smile on his face afterwards.  Then I told him that since his face was ugly and offensive to me, that I was going to exercise my right to rearrange it with my baton. I went on to tell him that when I was finished, I knew that anyone with such an ugly face must live in an ugly home (even though it was in Marin County) and thus I had a right to trash his place. Furthermore, since his face and home were ugly, his parents must also be ugly so if I wanted, I could mess them up too. He lost his smile and said, "I didn't think of it that way."  

No, I didn't mess up his face, his home or his parents.  He was cited and released.

So...shoot them from a distance then?

Tag

Cited and released?  I know you don't make the laws, but tagging miscreants should be summarily smacked around a little at the time of arrest.  Oh, and caned after their court appearance.  As for not confronting them - unfortunately I agree, because neither the law nor your fellow citizens will back you up if you confront them.  In a society, as opposed to this ongoing experiment in dysgenics called the USA, such behavior would not be tolerated, though.  

Quoted: So...shoot them from a distance then?

It's worked for me for years.

Quoted: Tag