Kids & Family

Funeral Services Friday for Duncan in Venice; Donations Sought

The Boys & Girls Club of Venice is accepting food, drink and financial donations to help with the funeral and reception of Oscar Duncan, a former "Youth of the Year" with the club.

Funeral services will be held Friday for Oscar Duncan, the 23-year-old Venice youth pastor who was shot and killed June 4 by a suspected gang member, and the community can help his family with the funeral and reception.

Viewing services will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 685 Westminster Ave., in Venice and funeral services will be held Friday at 10 a.m. also at First Baptist Church. A reception service will follow the funeral and will be held at the Oakwood Recreation Center with about 800 people expected to attend.

Duncan, a 2006 graduate of Venice High School, was a former "Youth of the Year" at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice and the club has offered and received the approval of Duncan's family to help them with the funeral and reception, said the club's executive director, Erikk Aldridge, in an email.

The club has been contacted by many people offering to help Duncan's family and the club offered some suggestions. Donations of prepared food will be accepted for the reception with a food drop-off station open at 9 a.m. Friday at the Oakwood Recreation Center and volunteers will be available curbside to receive donated food items. Donated water and beverages can be dropped off at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice, 2232 Lincoln Blvd., between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

For those who can't donate food or drinks, monetary donations will be accepted to purchase tables, chairs, eating and serving utensils, plates, napkins, cups, warming trays, serving dishes and funeral programs and posters. Financial donations can be made at www.bgcv.org/donate2 and should include "In memory of Oscar Duncan" in the notes. Checks also can be mailed or dropped off at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice.

The club also will host a "Celebration for Oscar" on Monday at 5 p.m.

Suspected gang member Kevin Dwayne Green, also known as "Baby Skull," pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a charge of murder with gun use and street gang allegations. Green, 28, is being held on $2 million bail.

A second suspect also was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting, but prosecutors have not yet filed charges.

Duncan was shot and killed June 4 about 10:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Santa Clara Avenue.

Prosecutors said that Green was among a group of men who allegedly drove up to Duncan and his girlfriend, who were standing on the street. They jeered at Duncan's girlfriend and shouted a gang name as one of them fired a single shot, striking 23-year-old Duncan in the head, according to the district attorney's office.

Duncan was homecoming king and captain of the football team at Venice High School He worked as a mentor at the Venice Boys & Girls Club and helped steer youths away from gangs and also was an instructor in the club's audio engineering program.

Duncan also was a youth pastor at a Compton church and helped oversee 1,500 youths. He also was known for his dancing and singing talents.

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