Gunman chases, kills pedestrian in Westmont

A 47-year-old man was fatally shot about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in Westmont, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The man, who has not been identified, was walking in the 10100 block of South Budlong Avenue when two men pulled up in a white vehicle, Lt. John Corina said. A gunman chased and shot the man, Corina said. The gunman returned to the vehicle, and the car sped away.

“It all happened so fast,� said Kani Garcia, who was in the area at the time of the shooting and heard gunshots from his car. “One second I’m looking down at my phone. The next, a man is dead.�

Garcia said he did not see anything, but the location of the attack surprised him.

“There are places where people just don’t go around,� he said. “This neighborhood is usually fine because everyone is older.�

Deputies arrived shortly after the shooting and blocked off the street with yellow tape. Investigators have not determined a motive and are still attempting to identify the victim, Corina said.

Neighbors used their hands to block out the mid-morning sun as they peered at the red tarp laid over the victim. A row of vehicles lined up from Century Boulevard to survey the scene. Drivers called to people on the sidewalks for a recap of the events. Many remarked about the frequency of killings in the neighborhood.

“This sort of thing happens all the time,� said Lisa Sanders, standing on the corner with her arms crossed.

Sanders previously lived around the corner from the crime scene. She noticed the Sheriff’s Department cars blocking the road on her way home from work.

“I just really hope I don’t know him,� she said. “My friends are still around here.�

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

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