17-year-old boy fatally shot at SoCal hotel; mother arrested

Jovana Lara Image
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
17-year-old boy fatally shot at Rosemead hotel; mother detained
A 17-year-old boy was fatally shot at a hotel in Rosemead Monday morning, and his mother has been detained for questioning.

ROSEMEAD, Calif. -- A 49-year-old mother was arrested for murder after allegedly shooting her 17-year-old son to death at a hotel in Rosemead Monday morning.

George Hang was pronounced dead at the Valley Hotel in the 8700 block of Valley Boulevard after his mother, Lai Hang, called police at about 10 a.m. He had been shot in the upper torso.

Hotel guests told Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies they heard two back-to-back shots at about 5 a.m.

"I got scared, I got really scared. It sounded so close," guest Jessie Diaz said.

Police say the gunfire came from room 111, just a few doors down from where Diaz was staying.

Lai Hang was arrested Monday night after being interviewed by detectives at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Temple Station. She is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Hang and her son, who lived in Rosemead, checked into the Valley Hotel on Sunday, according to hotel workers. Diaz says she saw them walking together at about midnight. It was unclear why the pair were staying in the hotel.

"They were very friendly, no arguing, no nothing," she said.

Lt. Victor Lewandowski says there were no signs of a struggle in the hotel room, but a handgun was found.