The mother of a local teenager gunned down exactly 12 years ago in San Diego’s Mountain View area is still seeking justice for her son.
On June 15, 2001, Lincoln High School student Lynn Dale Bell was fatally shot in the back of the head while waiting at a bus stop near the Willie Henderson Sports Complex near the 4600 block of Logan Avenue.
Bell had just turned 16 the day before the shooting.
Investigators say Bell was shot several times by an unknown male suspect who fled the scene before authorities arrived. A little girl playing at a nearby park was also struck in the face by a bullet, but survived.
Bell died on June 16, 2001, from injuries sustained in the shooting. His killer has never been caught, and the case has grown cold over the years.
Still, San Diego County Crime Stoppers and SDPD homicide detectives continue to search for leads in the teen’s shooting death. On Friday, officials re-released Bell's photograph in hopes of tracking down fresh information related to his case.
Bell’s mother, Sherry Warren, also continues to seek justice for her beloved son. On Friday, Bell would've turned 28.
Warren told NBC 7 that her son was shot in front of dozens of witnesses, none of which wanted to risk retaliation by coming forward and identifying the killer.
Now, after all this time, Warren hopes someone who knows something about her son’s murder will step up and show courage.
“It’s just hard going on day to day not knowing,” said Warren.
Every year, on the anniversary of Bell’s death, Warren says her family comes together to keep the teen’s memory alive by making special T-shirts with his name and photograph.
And, though more than a decade has passed since her son’s death, Warren says it still hurts to know that her son’s murder remains unsolved.
“I don’t want to wait any more. I want justice. My son deserves to rest,” she told NBC 7. “Whoever did this, I consider them a coward.”
Anyone with information about Bell's case is urged to contact SDPD homicide detectives at (619) 531-2293 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477.
Bell's story is one of many cold cases in San Diego County.
Just last year, another local teen was shot and killed not far from the location where Bell was shot.
On March 24, 2012, Richard “Richie” Carrillo, 14, was sitting on the tailgate of a parked pickup truck on Island Avenue in Mount Hope. Police say Carillo was talking with friends when a dark-colored SUV pulled up to the group and began shooting.
More than one year later, his murder also remains unsolved.