Shots Punctuate Face-Off Over Fender-Bender

What began as a minor traffic mishap near downtown Los Angeles attracted the interest of the police Thursday morning after one of the drivers allegedly produced an Uzi submachine gun and got off a couple of shots.

No one was injured, said Central Division Detective Edward Hopson, but one of the bullets struck and went through a passing car.

Hopson said Sung Kim, 33, was driving east on Olympic Boulevard when the right rear bumper of his pickup truck was struck by a van driven by Zayas Torres, 40, coming out of a parking lot at Broadway. Most of the damage--about $300 worth--was to Torres’ van.

Argument in the Street

Kim said he stopped and walked back to exchange information, only to have Torres try to drive away. Kim told police he reached in and grabbed the keys, prompting Torres to get out and begin to argue in the street.

Torres reportedly grabbed a jacket and flight bag from his van, then jumped in Kim’s pickup truck and attempted to drive away again. As Kim tried to stop him, police were told, Torres pulled the Uzi out of the bag and fired two shots--one of which shattered the pickup’s rear-view mirror.

The other struck the passing car of Kimmy Song, 29.

Kim said he seized the weapon, and Torres took off running west on Olympic. Kim chased him, and they turned north on South Olive Street.

RTD Officers Overtake Pair

Two Southern California Rapid Transit District police officers were flagged down by witnesses and overtook the pair in the 800 block of Olive, bringing them back to the scene where Los Angeles police officers were arriving.

Inside Torres’ flight bag, Hopson said, officers found $34,280 in cash and 53 grams of cocaine in both rock and powder form. He said they found another $3,731 in cash in Torres’ pocket.

He was booked for investigation of two counts of attempted murder.