Pacoima Man Killed After Violent Quarrel

A Pacoima man shot and killed his roommate, possibly in self-defense, after the roommate stabbed him and another man Friday night during a quarrel in their Van Nuys Boulevard apartment, Los Angeles police said Saturday.

A passer-by discovered the body of Jose Zepeda, 33, in a driveway in Pacoima about 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sgt. John O’Neal said. The body was found about a block from the apartment in the 12500 block of Van Nuys Boulevard where Zepeda allegedly stabbed the two men about 10 p.m. Friday, O’Neal said.

The dead man’s roommate, who was hospitalized in serious condition, told police Friday night that he had fired a rifle at Zepeda after the stabbing but was unsure whether any of the bullets struck him, O’Neal said. The man said he armed himself with the rifle after being stabbed, and chased the attacker out of the apartment, firing several shots, O’Neal said. Police did not release the name of the roommate or the other stabbing victim.

The second victim, whose relationship to the occupants of the apartment was not known, suffered a minor wound and was not hospitalized, O’Neal said. The case is to be presented Monday to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, which will decide whether to file charges against the alleged gunman, O’Neal said.