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Venus, Serena Williams' Older Sister Shot to Death

Aired September 14, 2003 - 14:37   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We want to update you now on the shooting death of the eldest sister of Venus and Serena Williams. Yetunde Price, 31, found shot to death in Compton, California, just outside of Los Angeles just after midnight. On the telephone with us now, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, Alva Yates, who is in Monterey Park. And Deputy Yates, can you tell us now the circumstances that you believe at this point as to how this shooting death took place?
ALVA YATES, L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY: Yeah, in fact, we just got an update right now. Our homicide detectives are continuing an investigation of a shooting death of a female black adult that occurred in the 1100 block of Greenleaf (ph) boulevard. Detectives have released the identity of the victim, which is Yetunde Price, a female black, 31, of Corona, the older sister of tennis icons Venus and Serena Williams.

Deputies from Compton station, they were on patrol when they heard multiple gunshot wounds coming from the vicinity of that location. When deputies arrived, seconds later they discovered that a man and a woman in a white SUV had become involved in a confrontation with some local residents. That confrontation led to gunfire, and the female victim was shot in the upper torso. She was transported to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries. And our homicide investigators along with Compton gang detectives are at the scene and they are attempting to gather information to determine exact circumstance of the incident.

Homicide detectives are requesting the public's assistance in trying to identify these suspects. Anyone who observed them, the white SUV in the area, is asked to call the homicide bureau. And at this time, we have our special weapons team at that location, because they believe that they have the suspects barricaded at that location.

WHITFIELD: And a little bit more now then, Deputy Yates, on the special weapons team at this location where you believe the suspects may be barricaded. Do you believe that because witnesses were able to help point you all in the right direction or -- what led you to this residence?

YATES: You know, I don't know the information. It's probably from information that our homicide investigators gathered and also our gang detectives gathered.

WHITFIELD: And how far away is this location from the place of the shooting? YATES: It's actually -- it's the same location. It's the 1100 block of Greenleaf (ph) boulevard.

WHITFIELD: Is this also a location close to the residence of Yetunde Price?

YATES: This is actually where it occurred, the 1100 block of Greenleaf (ph) boulevard. That's the actual barricade, too.

WHITFIELD: OK. OK. And what are eyewitnesses, if there are any, telling you about the circumstances?

YATES: Well, at this time, I am not at the scene, so our homicide detectives are the ones that talk to the eyewitnesses.

WHITFIELD: Are there any -- are there any indicators of a motive?

YATES: We don't have that information at this time. It's preliminary at this time.

WHITFIELD: Were there any other people who were hit by gunfire, injured in any other way?

YATES: No. No.

WHITFIELD: Was she alone? Besides these assailants?

YATES: All we have at this time that I got from the update is that there was a man and a woman in a white SUV, they were involved in a confrontation with some local residents.

WHITFIELD: And what point did it come to your attention that Yetunde Price is the sister of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams?

YATES: OK, well, we just -- we were called here probably around like 10:00, about 10:15 a.m. We got this update.

WHITFIELD: All right. Los Angeles County sheriff deputy Alva Yates, thanks very much for joining us on the telephone for this latest update of Yetunde Price, who is the eldest sister and also happens to be the personal assistant of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. She died shortly after midnight after being shot at a residence just outside of Los Angeles, in Compton. And as you heard from the sheriff's deputies, witnesses were able to hear and police responded to a series of gunfire. And when they got there, Yetunde Price was among those, right now it's being reported, the only one who was shot and taken to a hospital where she later died. 31-year-old Yetunde Price, the eldest sister and the personal assistant of Venus and Serena Williams dead.

We'll have more news on this story later on in the day here on CNN.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 14, 2003 - 14:37   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We want to update you now on the shooting death of the eldest sister of Venus and Serena Williams. Yetunde Price, 31, found shot to death in Compton, California, just outside of Los Angeles just after midnight. On the telephone with us now, Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, Alva Yates, who is in Monterey Park. And Deputy Yates, can you tell us now the circumstances that you believe at this point as to how this shooting death took place?
ALVA YATES, L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY: Yeah, in fact, we just got an update right now. Our homicide detectives are continuing an investigation of a shooting death of a female black adult that occurred in the 1100 block of Greenleaf (ph) boulevard. Detectives have released the identity of the victim, which is Yetunde Price, a female black, 31, of Corona, the older sister of tennis icons Venus and Serena Williams.

Deputies from Compton station, they were on patrol when they heard multiple gunshot wounds coming from the vicinity of that location. When deputies arrived, seconds later they discovered that a man and a woman in a white SUV had become involved in a confrontation with some local residents. That confrontation led to gunfire, and the female victim was shot in the upper torso. She was transported to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries. And our homicide investigators along with Compton gang detectives are at the scene and they are attempting to gather information to determine exact circumstance of the incident.

Homicide detectives are requesting the public's assistance in trying to identify these suspects. Anyone who observed them, the white SUV in the area, is asked to call the homicide bureau. And at this time, we have our special weapons team at that location, because they believe that they have the suspects barricaded at that location.

WHITFIELD: And a little bit more now then, Deputy Yates, on the special weapons team at this location where you believe the suspects may be barricaded. Do you believe that because witnesses were able to help point you all in the right direction or -- what led you to this residence?

YATES: You know, I don't know the information. It's probably from information that our homicide investigators gathered and also our gang detectives gathered.

WHITFIELD: And how far away is this location from the place of the shooting? YATES: It's actually -- it's the same location. It's the 1100 block of Greenleaf (ph) boulevard.

WHITFIELD: Is this also a location close to the residence of Yetunde Price?

YATES: This is actually where it occurred, the 1100 block of Greenleaf (ph) boulevard. That's the actual barricade, too.

WHITFIELD: OK. OK. And what are eyewitnesses, if there are any, telling you about the circumstances?

YATES: Well, at this time, I am not at the scene, so our homicide detectives are the ones that talk to the eyewitnesses.

WHITFIELD: Are there any -- are there any indicators of a motive?

YATES: We don't have that information at this time. It's preliminary at this time.

WHITFIELD: Were there any other people who were hit by gunfire, injured in any other way?

YATES: No. No.

WHITFIELD: Was she alone? Besides these assailants?

YATES: All we have at this time that I got from the update is that there was a man and a woman in a white SUV, they were involved in a confrontation with some local residents.

WHITFIELD: And what point did it come to your attention that Yetunde Price is the sister of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams?

YATES: OK, well, we just -- we were called here probably around like 10:00, about 10:15 a.m. We got this update.

WHITFIELD: All right. Los Angeles County sheriff deputy Alva Yates, thanks very much for joining us on the telephone for this latest update of Yetunde Price, who is the eldest sister and also happens to be the personal assistant of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams. She died shortly after midnight after being shot at a residence just outside of Los Angeles, in Compton. And as you heard from the sheriff's deputies, witnesses were able to hear and police responded to a series of gunfire. And when they got there, Yetunde Price was among those, right now it's being reported, the only one who was shot and taken to a hospital where she later died. 31-year-old Yetunde Price, the eldest sister and the personal assistant of Venus and Serena Williams dead.

We'll have more news on this story later on in the day here on CNN.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com