19-Year-Old Arrested in Killing of Youth at Sylmar Street Race

A 19-year-old San Bernardino man was arrested on suspicion of shooting a 17-year-old boy to death during a gun battle that erupted early Saturday morning at an illegal street race in Sylmar, Los Angeles police said.

Bunto Phai was being held without bail on suspicion of murder, Sgt. John Bender said.

The slain youth was identified as Ferdinand Nicholas of Los Angeles, investigator L. Shelton of the coroner’s office said.

Two other youths were wounded in the shooting, which occurred shortly before 3 a.m.

A statement issued by homicide Detectives Woodrow Parks and Robert Bogison said Nicholas was shot on San Fernando Road between Roxford and Filbert streets, where more than 100 people had congregated to watch a street race.

The gathering included numerous gang members from Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, the detectives said.

“The investigation thus far has revealed that at least two individuals participated in a gun battle” at the scene, the statement said. The reason for the fight had not been determined, investigators said.

Bender said it is not unusual for large crowds of youths to congregate for street races in the northeast San Fernando Valley on weekends. He said Asian gang members also frequently come into the Valley from other counties but usually do not venture farther north than North Hollywood.

Jose Mirvalo, who lives on San Fernando Road, said the cruising and racing along his street has been increasing in the past five months.

“I’d like to see the police stop them from cruising,” Mirvalo said. “One day they’re going to end up crashing into my yard and I’m afraid of my family or someone in my neighborhood getting hurt.”

Gloria Romero, who lives on Roxford Street, said she’s awakened on Friday and Sunday nights by an endless procession of cars racing down San Fernando Road between 2 and 5 a.m.

“It gets scary because it’s really late at night and you just keep hearing cars go by really fast,” Romero said. “I don’t like it and it’s a hazard to other people, who don’t realize what they’re driving into.”

The gang members have been “hanging around the street racers,” the officer said.

Phai is believed to be a member of an Asian gang, police said.

Officers did not arrive on the scene until after the victims had been driven by friends to local hospitals, Bender said.

Nicholas died shortly after he was taken to Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, Lt. Wayne Woolway said.

The two wounded youths, both in their teens, were treated for superficial injuries at Panorama Community Hospital. Their wounds were believed to have been caused by pellets from a shotgun blast, Woolway said.

Staff writer Julie Tamaki contributed to this story.