Family searching for answers after son shot in head on New Year's Day in Manhattan Beach
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - A family is grappling with the inexplicable killing of their 24-year-old son on New Year's Eve in Manhattan Beach.
Andrei Gianan, who also goes by Nico was killed that night after he was shot in the head. Now, the Gianan family is desperately hoping the public can help identify the person responsible for their son's death.
"My son was not a member of anything," said father Francisco Gianan. "He was just a working kit, trying to make a living.
The events leading up to Andrei Gianan's death began on New Year's Eve, when he worked a shift at Wingstop in San Pedro, before heading to Manhattan Beach, presumably to attend a party. Around 1 a.m. on Jan. 1, Andrei Gianan was fatally shot in the head in the 1400 block of 11th Street.
Nina Gianan, Andrei's sister, tearfully shared the heartbreak her family is going through.
"It's been very heartbreaking," she said. "There are five of us siblings in this family, and we just lost our baby brother. The pain is unimaginable."
Andrei's brother Karl Gianan described his brother as a "happy-go-lucky guy" who loved cracking jokes. Karl said his family is determined to seek justice.
"We will not stop. We will try to bring justice to what happened to Nico. We have no other choice but to fight this," he said.
Detectives said Andreu was found bleeding from a gunshot wound when police responded to the scene. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has taken over the case, urging the public to provide any information on the attack.
The family is raising funds for Andrei's funeral expenses. Information on that fundraiser can be found by tapping or clicking here.