Louisiana State Fire Marshal Amad Redding
Amad Rashad Redding, 27, has been charged with murder after police said he beat a woman to death using a motorized scooter as a weapon. Rosa Elena Hernandez, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene after she was attacked while walking down the sidewalk in Long Beach, California on May 13, 2019. She was just three blocks away from her home, a neighbor told KTLA-TV.
Redding was arrested a few hours later by the Long Beach Police Department. He was booked into the Long Beach City Jail and bond was set at $2 million. Investigators have not shared a possible motive for the attack.
Heavy searched national databases to learn more about Amad Rashad Redding and confirmed with the Louisiana State Fire Marshal that an Amad Redding with the same birthdate (3/8/1992) was arrested in February on suspicion of arson. There are no other public records anywhere in the country with that name.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Police: The Suspect Beat Rosa Hernandez & Hit Her Over the Head With an Electric Scooter Once She Was On the Ground; A Neighbor Says the Attack Was Recorded on a Surveillance Camera
The attack on Rosa Elena Hernandez occurred around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 13, 2019. She was walking home after visiting a friend just a few blocks away.
A witness told police that he saw a man approach Hernandez and begin beating her. The witness told police that when he tried to intervene, the suspect grabbed the scooter and used it to hit Hernandez over the head.
Another neighbor, identified as Robin Fagan, told CBS Los Angeles that the attack was recorded on a nearby surveillance camera. She told the TV station that police obtained the videotape. “They (police) saw him socking on her, pushed her down, kicking on her, and then she fell down. And then he went and got the scooter and started beating her on the head with the scooter.”
Police said Hernandez “significant injuries to her upper torso.” She was declared dead at the scene.
2. Amad Redding Was Arrested at a Convenience Store Near the Crime Scene
The suspect, now identified by police as 27-year-old Amad Rashad Redding, ran away from the scene. But police located him less than five hours later.
He was found at a convenience store near Downey Avenue and Artesia Boulevard, which is about half a mile away from the crime scene. Police said Redding was arrested without incident.
Redding was booked into the Long Beach City Jail on suspicion of murder. Bail was set at $2 million.
3. Amad Redding Was Arrested in Louisiana in February on Suspicion of Arson
Amad Rashad Redding used to live in Opelousas, Louisiana, which is in the St. Landry Parish area. It’s unclear exactly when he relocated to southern California because he was arrested in his home state in February.
According to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s office, Redding was accused of setting fire to his family’s home on January 21, 2019. Investigators learned the fire started in the home’s dining room. Redding was the only person in the building at the time and suffered third-degree burns to his hands. After Redding was hospitalized for his burn injuries, he was transported to a mental health facility in New Orleans.
Redding was then arrested on February 6 and charged with two counts of Simple Arson. The Fire Marshal said that Redding admitted to witnesses that he was responsible for the fire, and those witnesses relayed the information to investigators. Redding was booked first into the Orleans Parish Jail before being transferred to the St. Landry Parish Jail.
4. Report: Amad Rashad Redding Ran Track at Southern University in Baton Rouge & Had Plans to Pursue Art as a Career After Graduating
Amad Redding participated in football and track at Opelousas High School. He then joined the track team at Southern University in Baton Rouge, according to an article published in the Daily World on August 1, 2015. The newspaper is part of the USA Today network. The article includes that Redding’s middle name is Rashad.
Redding told the reporter that he became more interested in pursuing art as a career after leaving the track team following his sophomore season. He said he used his mother’s dining room table as an art studio and named Vincenr Van Gogh as his favorite artist. Redding explained, “I do it every day. I stay up just drawing and painting, whatever I have to do to keep this alive.”
Redding added that he was majoring in therapeutic recreation and wanted to open an art business after graduating from college.
5. The Woman Redding Was Accused of Killing, Rosa Elena Hernandez, Had Lived in the Neighborhood For About 40 Years & Is Being Remembered as a ‘Loving Person’ & a ‘Sweetheart’
LONG BEACH SCOOTER ATTACK; Suspect identified as Amad Rashad Redding, 27, of Long Beach, as friends describe victim as beloved longtime resident of the neighborhood
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Rosa Elena Hernandez lived in her Long Beach neighborhood more about 40 years, according to CBS Los Angeles. Neighbor Dennis Fitzgerald said Hernandez didn’t drive a car, so she walked around all the time in order to speak with all of her friends. “She was very friendly with everybody, everybody knew her.”
Hernandez was married to her husband for more than three decades. They did not have children, according to KABC-TV. Neighbor Latoni Robinson told the TV station, “Rosa was the neighborhood babysitter. She took care of people’s kids. Sweetheart, a loving person, very kind, generous.”
A GoFundMe campaign was started to help Hernandez’ husband pay for funeral expenses.
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