Search Continues For Gunman Who Shot Motorist Following Street Race
GARDANA (CBSLA) -- The search continued Christmas evening for the gunman who shot a man following a possible street race in Gardena Monday morning.
Earlier it was reported that the shooting might have stemmed from an incident of road rage.
The incident happened at Figueroa and Albertoni Streets.
KCAL9's Tina Patel said the roads were closed for a nearly 12-hour investigation.
The victim was taken to Harbor-UCLA with gunshot wounds. Officials are still not exactly sure why the victim was shot.
Police said they were called to the area for reports about street racing. They heard gunshots and found an SUV crashed on the side of the road and said all other vehicles had taken off.
"Not good. Not good at all," said Shannon Podzimek, "Not safe."
She told Patel she was not surprised the shooting might have resulted from street racing. She said it happens in the area all the time.
"The Highway Patrol tries to do their job," she says ,"and monitor the area but they can't do it every night. And it's an every night thing, basically. They'll either do it here on Figueroa or Broadway or Main. Wherever the less traffic in the area [is], that's where they'll race."
Investigators believe because of the Christmas holiday traffic was light in the morning and that's what led the street racers to this area.
Officials would not say if they believe the man who was shot was involved in the street racing or just passing through.
Podzimek says it's terrible either way.
"No one should [potentially] lose a member of their family," she says ,"or even be shot at on a holiday. This is a time for love and joy and giving and support and compassion. Not shooting."
Investigators are hoping when the area businesses open Tuesday they will be provide surveillance video that might shed more light on what happened."