"It used to be my kids could go anywhere. It was like Mayberry," said Vicki Reichers, who has lived in Temple City for 36 years. "Now, it's completely run by gang members. Elements of this community are afraid to speak up and acknowledge the change."

Community deals with teen's death
By Frank C. Girardot Staff Writer

TEMPLE CITY - Traveling west through the San Gabriel Valley, just beyond the rock quarries of Irwindale and before cosmopolitan Pasadena, you'll find a community some of its residents like to call "Mayberry."

Modest homes stand behind manicured lawns on tree-lined streets. Temple City denizens take pride in recalling the television show "Wonder Years" was filmed here.

But the mood changed this summer, and some residents believe their sanctuary from big city life has vanished forever.

The defining moment for them occurred the night a drive-by shooting claimed the life of 17-year-old Deandre Netter, a former student at Temple City High School.

In the aftermath, beneath butcher paper banners covered with brightly painted welcoming messages, teens returned to school Thursday.

Along with usual angst that comes with returning from summer vacation, students and parents expressed fear and concern about their community and the future.

"It used to be my kids could go anywhere. It was like Mayberry," said Vicki Reichers, who has lived in Temple City for 36 years. "Now, it's completely run by gang members. Elements of this community are afraid to speak up and acknowledge the change."

While admitting the city has changed in recent years, City Manager Charles Martin said Temple City is still safe. He points to Netter's shooting as an isolated incident and not necessarily a watershed.

"For 20 years there's been one homicide and that doesn't bear out the story that the sky is falling," Martin said. "(It) is not a catastrophe, not a pattern or a trend. The Chicken Littles of the world tend to forget this is a very safe city - safer than most of the cities in this area."

Netter, his twin brother and a friend were walking down Golden West Avenue about 11 p.m. July 25. They had just left Carl's Jr. on Las Tunas Drive and carried their soda cups as they walked.

A passenger in a car traveling the opposite direction on Golden West opened fire on the trio. Netter was struck once in the chest and died, authorities said.

As a reminder, a nearby house on the quiet, tree-lined street remained pock-marked with bullet holes just days before school returned to session.

Officials believe the shooting had its roots in a dispute that occurred in January on the campus of Temple City High.

The argument, which pitted Netter against members of a group known as "Brown Side," spilled off campus and likely inspired a May 25 stabbing at Carl's Jr., sheriff's detectives said.

Attackers may have mistaken 20-year-old Don Bailey-Meirer for Netter, because both were African American, said sheriff's Deputy Christopher Keeling of the department's Hate Crime task force.

Despite the almost single-minded pursuit of Netter by admitted "Brown Side" members, sheriff's officials are quick to caution the group is not one of the dozens of gangs targeted by law enforcement in the San Gabriel Valley.

"We've known about `Brown Side' for some time," said sheriff's Sgt. Tony Osterman of the Temple Station. "It is a clique, not a targeted gang."

Several members of the crew, their associates and girlfriends continue to attend Temple City High School, Osterman said.

"There are high school kids definitely involved with this group - or claim they are," Osterman said.

"Brown Side" members and former Temple City High School students Phillip Guerra and Christopher Lopez, both 18, have been arrested in connection with Netter's death.

The two are each held in lieu of $4.4 million bail and are expected to appear in court Sept. 19, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Another group of "Brown Side" members, all former students, is being held in connection with the Bailey-Meirer stabbing.

School officials said they have been aware of a problem on campus for several years.

"We've always been aware there has been a gang element in Temple City. It's out there and we suspect we do have some gang members," said Joan Hillard, superintendent of the Temple City School District.

"(Prior to the Netter shooting) we did not see it evidenced at school sites," she said. "We certainly were aware there was some racial tension."

Netter's death and the circumstances surrounding it remain a topic of conversation among students and staff.

"Everybody thinks it's going to give Temple City a bad reputation," said Spencer Hu, 16, student body president at Temple City High School. "But the shooting was out of the ordinary."

During a preseason football practice at Temple City High School, a drill erupted into an argument over the Netter slaying between assistant coach Matt Lopez and an unidentified student, officials said.

Matt Lopez is the older brother of Christopher Lopez, according to Hillard.

"This young man, who is an assistant coach, instructed the student do something related to a play," Hillard said. "Instead of doing it, the student said, `(No) your brother killed my best friend."'

An investigation by the district resulted in no punishment for either the player or the coach, Hillard said.

Reichers' husband, Peter Santiago, confirmed tension remains in the community. Santiago said he filed a police report last Monday night for vandalism that took place at his home. He believes the vandalism is tied directly to his family's outspoken complaints to officials about "Brown Side."

Sheriff's officials said the vandalism remains under investigation.

Regardless of the strain and speculation, Martin insisted residents have nothing to fear, even though he admitted the community is rapidly changing.

"There's always that one unsuspected thing that can happen anywhere," he said. "It happened here and I think as a result we're awakening to the realization that we are not Mayberry anymore."

frank.girardot@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811 Ext. 2717

www.insidesocal.com/sgvcrime