Compton youth pastor shot, killed in front of house in Venice

COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- At the Greater Zion Church in Compton on Tuesday night, a community came together to try to cope with the senseless shooting death of their youth pastor.

Oscar Duncan, 23, was walking home in the 600 block of Santa Clara Avenue in Venice around 10:30 p.m. Monday when a white car pulled up next to him. A suspect opened fired and shot Duncan in the head outside his house.

"We're going to miss his presence here, because he never missed a Sunday the whole time that he came here," Pastor Michael Fisher said. "He never missed a Thursday night bible study with the youth."

Duncan was also a singer and the music studio director at the Boys and Girls Club in Venice. Mentoring youth in the inner city was his passion, and he touched many lives.

"He always strived for youth to just go for whatever they believe in," said church member Brianna Key.

On Tuesday night, Duncan's neighbors paid their respect at a makeshift memorial outside his house. Flowers, candles and a card with dozens of messages marked the spot where Duncan was gunned down.

Los Angeles homicide detectives said they had little to go on in their search for Duncan's killer. They had no suspect description and no motive for why Duncan was killed. He had no gang ties and acted as a brother and father figure to those who knew him.

As for the youth who looked up to Duncan, they said they would find a way to keep the faith because that's what he would have wanted.

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shooting, los angeles news, leslie miller

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