Man Slain on Way to Vacation With Family

A West Covina man bound for a family vacation in Hawaii was fatally shot Tuesday as he waited for an airport shuttle bus with his wife, their daughter and two grandchildren, authorities said.

Raymond G. Shield, 61, was pronounced dead shortly after the 5 a.m. attack outside a Holiday Inn, where he and his family were planning to catch a bus to Los Angeles International Airport, West Covina police said.

His wife, 57, their daughter, 32, and the two grandchildren, both 8, were unhurt.

Detectives were investigating the possibility that the shooting on East Garvey Avenue was the result of a robbery attempt, Officer Steve Cook said.

Shield was unloading luggage from his car when two men pulled up behind him in a pickup truck. They popped the truck’s hood, giving the impression they were having engine problems, and gestured for Shield to come over, Cook said.

“He went over there to see what he could do for them, and from that point on we’re not sure what happened,” the officer said.

The three talked for a moment, but when Shield turned to walk away, one of the men pulled a pistol and fired at him, Cook said. The bullet passed through Shield’s arm and lodged in his abdomen. He was taken to Inter-Community Medical Center in Covina, where he died.

The two men, both thought to be in their early 20s, climbed back into the truck and sped away.

Witnesses described the vehicle as a late-model Nissan pickup, black or navy blue, with chrome wheels and a slightly lowered chassis. A horizontal stripe was painted on the truck from the doors to the tailgate, police said. An “Oakley” sunglasses sticker was on the rear window.

“It appeared to be one of those random things that just happen,” Cook said.