Michael Latt, a marketing consultant and social justice advocate with strong ties to Hollywood, died Monday after a woman entered his home and fired a bullet that struck him in the head, law enforcement sources told The Times.
Authorities believe the shooting was a random act of violence.
Police were contacted around 6 p.m. about a shooting at Latt’s residence in the 900 block of Alandele Avenue. Officers arrived to find him suffering a gunshot wound to his head. He was transported to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.
A preliminary investigation found Latt was shot by a woman who had entered his home without his permission. The suspect, identified by police as Jameelah Elena Michl, 36, was arrested on suspicion of murder at the scene. Taken into custody by responding officers, she is being held in lieu of $3-million bail.
Michl was described by law enforcement as a person living in her vehicle, which was parked nearby and removed as evidence by police. Latt did not know his assailant, and initial information indicated she was not given access to the home, law enforcement sources told The Times.
Latt was the chief executive of Lead With Love, an entertainment marketing consulting firm he founded in 2019 with an emphasis on elevating Black creatives and other underrepresented voices in Hollywood. He was the son of film producer Jonathan Latt and Michelle Satter, the founding senior director at the Sundance Institute. His brother, Franklin Latt, is an agent at CAA.
Satter shared the news Wednesday of Latt’s death on X: “Our beloved son Michael Latt fell victim to a tragic act of violence this week,” she wrote. “Michael devoted his career to supporting artists, championing organizations that raised up artists of color, & leveraged storytelling for enduring change. We celebrate his legacy, love & compassion.”
As news spread Wednesday of Latt’s death, hundreds of colleagues, friends and collaborators offered their condolences.
“Devastating loss — Michael was a shining beacon of selfless kindness and consistency,” wrote actor Jesse Williams on Latt’s final Instagram post.
The Sundance Institute, where Latt worked before and during his time at Lead With Love, issued a statement on behalf of the Latt family mourning his death.
“He dedicated his career to serving others, employing storytelling, art, and various mediums to create enduring change and galvanizing communities with hope, love, and inspiration,” the statement read. “Michael will never be forgotten and his legacy and work will carry on through his family, his friends, and his colleagues.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
