2 Killed as Family Is Attacked in Van : Violence: Teen-ager watches gunman slay her father and cousin in Nickerson Gardens as they were preparing to go to church.

Ruth Miza was sitting in the back seat of her father’s van, waiting for the rest of the family to finish loading in for a short ride to church services, when suddenly time froze.

“I saw a man coming toward the van,” the 16-year-old girl said. “He made a little turn and then just hit the car window and it cracked. My dad tried to defend himself. The man pulled out a gun and just shot him. Then he shot my sister in the arm. And then my cousin ran to help my dad, and the man shot him too.”

Miza recalled her helplessness Sunday, less than 24 hours after she witnessed the shooting deaths of her father and cousin and the wounding of her sister as they sat in a van outside the family’s home in the Nickerson Gardens housing project in Watts.

Tomas Miza, 48, and Eliseo Miza, 16, died at Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital/Drew Medical Center, authorities said. Olga Miza, 18, was treated for her wounds and released.

Police said there may have been two gunmen involved in the shooting, which appeared to be motivated by robbery.

The Saturday evening shooting occurred as seven members of the Miza family entered the van to go to church, where Tomas Miza was deacon and Eliseo sang in the choir. Tomas Miza was a kitchen worker at a senior citizens home.

Ruth’s mother, who was baby-sitting when the attack occurred, did not find out about her husband’s death until hours later.

“They were a great family, they would be nice to everyone,” said Gerson Reyes, a family friend.

Ruth Miza said the family plans to leave its home in Nickerson Gardens, where it has lived for several years.

“It’s scary. We don’t feel safe,” she said. “We moved to this country from Guatemala 11 years ago to make a better life . . . And now this happens.”

Los Angeles police ask that anyone with information call detectives at (213) 237-1776.

The shooting, near 111th and Antwerp streets, came minutes after shots were fired at a patrol car in the area, but police said the incidents were unrelated.

Word of the shooting spread quickly in Nickerson Gardens.

“They were just the kind of people you want to have as neighbors,” said neighbor Sylvia Johnson. “They always said hello, they were friendly. We need more people like them in here. Not some of the ones who are causing the trouble.”