(StraightNews.org) – A social justice activist was shot and killed in his Los Angeles home by a female intruder. Michael Latt, founder of the group Lead With Love, died in a hospital on November 27 following what police described as a tragic act of violence. Jameelah Elena Michl, a 36-year-old homeless woman who lived out of her car, was arrested, charged with first-degree murder and held on a $3 million bond.
Latt was a 33-year-old marketing consultant heavily involved in the entertainment business and left-wing political activism. Lead With Love, which he founded in 2019, worked to increase the visibility of black entertainers in Hollywood.
He was the son of film producer David Latt and Sundance Institute director Michelle Satter, who issued a statement saying their son had “dedicated his career to serving others, employing storytelling, art, and various mediums to create enduring change and galvanizing communities with hope, love, and inspiration.”
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón told reporters that Mr. Latt was targeted by his killer after he became friends with a person she was “stalking.” Michl allegedly approached Latt’s home in mid-Wilshire and knocked on the door; she was carrying a semi-automatic handgun, and when Latt opened his door, she forced her way into his home and shot him in the head. His fiancée Hannah Lovingood was present at the time but was unhurt.
Mr. Gascón said, “It is devastating to see a life cut short, especially one dedicated to fighting for a more just society,” adding that the “pursuit of equity in the criminal legal system” is a noble cause that must continue.
Statistics in 2022 revealed a 35% increase in deadly shootings in Los Angeles over two years, and many people blamed District Attorney Gascón, with some leading efforts to have him removed from office. Desiree Andrade and Tania Owen, co-chairs of the Recall DA George Gascón campaign, said he turned Los Angeles into a “pro-criminal paradise.”
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