A devastating facet of 18-year-old Darsy Noriega's untimely death: She may have been trying to start a movement against gang violence just months before she was shot.

Police found Darsy Noriega, a Latina woman from Los Angeles, shot down in a South L.A. back alley at 11 p.m. on Wednesday night.

The shooting took place near Avalon Boulevard and East 111th Street, in an alley that leads to a building called the “Family Christian Center.” Two high schools are also situated nearby.

According to Freewire.com, an L.A. resident named Darcy Noriega started a campaign called “Gangs off the streets of Los Angeles” in March 2010. The pledge reads:

“My cause is to get gangs off the streets of Los Angeles, thus I am creating an anti-gang campaign. I am creating this campaign because so many drive bys are occurring on the streets of Los Angeles. This campaign will aid efforts to end gang violence in my community. It will also allow others to support those who have lost family and loved ones.

This campaign is important to me because it can lead to less violence on the streets of Los Angeles, minimize the distribution and usage of illegal drugs, and reduce the murder rate in LA. People should support this cause because my campaign is focused on presenting the youth of Los Angeles with other options besides getting involved in gang violence.”

For anyone else who wished to pledge the cause, the following prompt was also given: “I pledge to help in the effect to get people out of gangs. I pledge to donate money. I pledge to talk to troubled teens. I pledge to work hard. I pledge to help people with drug problems.”

We have not been able to confirm 100 percent that this is the same Darsy Noriega who was shot. However, the rare spelling of her first name leads us to believe it was her. Please, if you know anything more, do not hesitate to contact us.

Noriega was pronounced dead at the hospital on the night of her murder. According to L.A. County coroner's investigator Jim Blacklock, the young woman died from “multiple gunshot wounds,” but he added that “she hasn't even been autopsied yet. Everything is very preliminary at this point.”

Anyone with additional information about the shooting is urged to call the LAPD's Southeast Station at (213) 972-7828.

We're waiting to hear back from police on whether they suspect gang violence. Did you know Darsy Noriega? Let us know.

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