Felon charged with murder in shooting death of USC security guard

PREV. COVERAGE: Security guard shot, killed near USC campus in South LA

PREV. COVERAGE: Investigators said the security guard was not armed.

LOS ANGELES - A 31-year-old felon was charged Friday with murder in the shooting death of a USC security guard earlier this week at a private student housing complex near the university.

Alexader Crawford is facing one count of murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office announced Friday. Arraignment details were not immediately known.

The shooting was reported just before 12:47 a.m. Wednesday at the Lorenzo complex in the 300 block of West Adams Boulevard, about a half-mile from the main USC campus.

Upon their arrival, Los Angeles Police Department officers found the guard -- identified by the D.A.'s office as Jave Garanganao -- suffering from gunshot wounds, Officer Rosario Cervantes told City News Service. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner's office said he was in his 40s.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Security guard killed outside USC upscale off-campus student apartments

According to the D.A.'s office, Crawford was allegedly trespassing when Garanganao asked him to leave and followed him. Once off the property, Crawford is accused of firing a handgun and killing Garanganao before fleeing the scene, the D.A.'s office said.

Witnesses said as many as a dozen shell casings were found at the scene.

The suspect was found sleeping in a parking area near the scene of the shooting and arrested a few hours later, police said. The LAPD later reported the suspect had a handgun in his possession that was recovered without incident.

Detectives reviewed surveillance video and determined the person they took into custody was the suspected shooter, according to police. They also determined the handgun recovered with Crawford was the same caliber as the gun used to shoot the guard, police said.

"Mr. Garanganao was just trying to do his job when he was tragically killed," L.A. County D.A. George Gascón said Friday.

"My heart goes out to the victim's family and friends who have endured such a tremendous loss during the holiday season. My office's Bureau of Victim Services will provide them the services and resources they need moving forward."

Garanganao leaves behind a 13-year-old daughter.