Funeral Shooting Suspect Still at Large

A Long Beach man suspected of shooting two mourners after he argued with one of them at the funeral Tuesday afternoon of his 6-week-old daughter remains at large, Cypress police said Wednesday.

Siraj Leyerle, 21, who ran away after he allegedly opened fire at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Lincoln Avenue, is believed to still be in the Long Beach area, Cypress Police Lt. Mike Idom said. Leyerle was attending the funeral of his daughter, who died on Christmas Day of sudden infant death syndrome, when he got into an argument with the baby’s uncle, police said.

“At the conclusion of the funeral, people were offering condolences to the family,” Idom said. An argument developed between the suspect and the uncle that turned into a scuffle before Leyerle pulled out a handgun and fired three to five rounds, he said.

Although the uncle was apparently the intended target, Leyerle shot the uncle’s wife as well, Idom said. The 23-year-old aunt--sister of the baby’s mother--was wounded in the left elbow, he said. Her 30-year-old husband was shot in the foot, Idom said. Both were treated at Long Beach Community Medical Center and released, a hospital spokesman said.

After the shooting, Leyerle and three other men fled, witnesses said. On Wednesday, police had interviewed the three men and said they are considered witnesses who are cooperating with the investigation.

“At this time, we don’t believe they had an involvement in the shooting,” Idom said. “They heard a shooting and were afraid, so they ran off.”

The motive for the attack remained unclear Wednesday, Idom said.

“I’m sure everyone was very upset about the death” of the infant, Sierra Leyerle Orinna, Idom said.

Officials with the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said the baby’s death was classified as due to natural causes and is not under investigation.