Long Beach police are asking for the public’s help to find the person who shot and killed a man in front of his 7-year-old son in 2022.
The shooting occurred on June 19, 2022, as Leevi Maseuli, 30, of Palmdale, was sitting inside his car with his son on the 4200 block of E. Anaheim Street in Long Beach.
An unknown suspect shot at Maseuli before fleeing the scene. Police responded at around 8:45 p.m. and found Maseuli suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body.
He was rushed to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The 7-year-old boy was not struck by gunfire, but suffered minor, non-life-threatening injuries. He was also taken to the hospital and later released to his mother.
An employee at a nearby gas station recalled the frantic moments after gunfire was heard. He said the child ran to the gas station seeking help and saying that his father had been shot.
“We heard the gunshot and we tried to figure out what happened,” the employee said. “[We saw] a younger child, a little bit bloody and crying and people were trying to help him.”
The shooting happened as Maseuli and his son were spending time together on Father’s Day, adding another tragic dimension to the case.
WHAT HAPPENED
According to investigators, Maseuli was inside his vehicle with his young son when an unknown suspect opened fire.
The suspect then fled the area before police arrived.
Officers found Maseuli suffering from a gunshot wound to his upper body and immediately arranged for him to be transported to a hospital. Despite efforts to save him, he died from his injuries.
His son survived the shooting but was injured during the incident. Police said his injuries were minor and not life-threatening.
The child’s actions immediately afterward became one of the most emotional details of the case. The boy reportedly ran to a nearby gas station looking for assistance after his father had been shot.
The gas station employee who encountered the child described seeing him crying and appearing bloody as people tried to help.
Long Beach police have continued investigating the homicide in the years since the shooting, but the person responsible has not been identified.
The Investigation
Despite the passage of more than four years, detectives have not publicly identified a suspect in Maseuli’s killing.
Police also have not released a description of the person believed to have carried out the shooting or established a clear motive for the attack.
On Aug. 27, 2026, the Long Beach Police Department renewed its appeal for information, asking anyone who may know something about the case to come forward.
“Homicide detectives actively review and reopen cold cases as resources permit, pursuing new information, leads, and investigative opportunities that may advance the case,” the police department said.
“Detectives are pursuing all leads in this investigation,” the department added.
The renewed appeal suggests investigators remain interested in information that could help establish what happened before the shooting, identify the suspect and determine why Maseuli was targeted.
A Father Killed on Father’s Day
The timing of the shooting has remained one of the most disturbing aspects of the case.
Maseuli was spending Father’s Day with his young son when the shooting occurred. His child was not only present during the attack but was left to seek help immediately afterward.
Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish strongly condemned the killing when it occurred in 2022.
“To commit such a heinous crime in any circumstance is unacceptable, but to do so on Father’s Day in front of the victim’s child is even more disgraceful,” Hebeish said at the time.
“This blatant disregard for our community will not go unanswered and our investigators are working diligently to identify anyone involved in the victim’s death,” he added.
The chief also appealed directly to the public for information, emphasizing the lasting impact the shooting could have on the child.
“No child should ever have to endure an experience like this,” Hebeish said.
WHY IT MATTERS
The case highlights the difficulty investigators can face when a homicide remains unsolved for years.
Cold-case investigations can depend on witnesses who were initially reluctant to speak, newly discovered evidence, additional forensic analysis or information that becomes available long after the original crime.
In this case, police are again asking members of the public to consider whether they may know something that could help investigators.
Even information that appears insignificant could potentially help detectives establish a timeline, identify a person of interest or connect previously unknown details.
The fact that no suspect has been publicly identified more than four years after the shooting makes the public appeal particularly important.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Long Beach homicide detectives are expected to continue reviewing available evidence and following any new leads that emerge.
Police are asking anyone with information about Maseuli’s death to contact Long Beach Homicide Detective M. Hubbard at 562-570-7244.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or through its online tip system.
Investigators are urging anyone who may have witnessed the shooting, heard information about it or knows something about the suspect to contact authorities.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
- Who shot and killed Leevi Maseuli?
- What was the motive behind the 2022 shooting?
- Was Maseuli specifically targeted, or was the shooting part of another incident?
- What additional evidence may have emerged since the original investigation?
- Will a new witness or tip help detectives identify the suspect?