Man charged with murder in triple shooting that killed 9-year-old boy, father in San Bernardino

A man accused of killing three people, including a 9-year-old boy and his father, in a shooting at a San Bernardino liquor store was charged with three counts of murder, police said Monday.

Trayvon Brown, 26, was charged in connection with the slaying of 9-year-old Travon Williams; the boy’s father, Travon Lamar Williams, 26; and Samathy Mahan, 25.

Brown was taken into custody July 14, nearly a week after the shooting outside of Superior Liquor & Grocery on Del Rosa Avenue.

San Bernardino police said the victims had been leaving the store about 9:15 p.m. on July 8 when a man armed with a handgun approached them from behind and shot all three.

Mahan was a known gang member and was believed to be the intended target, Police Sgt. Vicki Cervantes said. The relationship between Mahan and the boy and his father is unclear, she said.

The homicide unit received dozens of phone calls identifying the suspect as Brown, a documented gang member, police said.

Detectives said Brown and Mahan were involved in a previous shooting, around the corner from the homicide scene, on June 15. A witness said Brown was shot during that altercation.

According to authorities, Brown reported to the probation department on June 17 that he had been shot in Lynwood during a robbery.

Witnesses told police that Brown had been looking for Mahan and was heard saying that something was going to happen.

“It cannot be stressed enough that the cooperation from the community and the dozens of phone calls from the public led to the arrest in this case,” police said.

Times staff writers Joseph Serna, Paloma Esquivel and Abby Sewell contributed to this report.

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