Inglewood police are actively searching for suspects after a local man was fatally shot while trying to confront thieves stealing a catalytic converter from a neighbor's car. The shooting, which happened around 3:22 a.m. on Tuesday, in the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue, claimed the life of Juan Sanchez. According to ABC7, Sanchez heard a noise and tried to intervene when he was shot in the chest area.
Authorities are looking to locate a suspect vehicle, identified in a Nixle alert as a gold 2002-2006 Toyota Camry sedan with tinted windows and a sunroof, with one fog light out. Surveillance footage captured two men fleeing the scene, and Sanchez later died from his injuries at a local hospital. Trying to connect leads and tips, the Inglewood Police Department has urged anyone with information to come forward and assist in the case. In a statement obtained by NBCLA, Susana Sanchez, the victim's sister, expressed her anguish, saying, "You guys need to stop this is all for a piece of metal a couple hundred dollars this is extremely devastating."
Sanchez, recalled as a devoted family man who had just become a new grandfather, was also described in a KTLA report as being excited about a recent promotion and a committed church volunteer. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help cover funeral expenses and support the family, with more than $10,000 raised toward a $30,000 goal as of Thursday morning.
Catalytic converter theft has become increasingly prevalent due to the precious metals they contain, and tragically, incidents have turned violent before. The Inglewood Police Captain Neil Cochran warned in an interview with NBC Los Angeles, "I don’t know what's behind that or why people are shooting at people when they're stealing but our warning to the public is do not just think oh you’re going to confront them it’s not worth it."
More specific descriptions of the suspects have been released, with one described as a heavy-set Hispanic man, around 5-foot-4 to 5-foot-6, as per the Inglewood PD release distributed through Nixle. Inglewood police are asking anyone who has information to contact Homicide Detective Luis Rodriguez at 310-412-5124 or to relay anonymous tips by calling their 24-hour tip line at “888-41-CRIME” (888-412-7463).
