Suspect Held in Shooting of Couple

A 22-year-old man who had argued earlier with his ex-wife was arrested Friday after he shot and wounded two people in Palmdale, authorities said.

The victims, Jeff Storm, 36, and his wife, Sandra Storm, also 36, were shot several times, according to police. Each is in good condition at Palmdale Hospital, a nursing supervisor said.

Jeff Cota was taken into custody Friday afternoon after sheriff’s deputies found him sleeping on a couch in a friend’s house in Palmdale, a sheriff’s spokeswoman said.

The incident began Thursday evening about 8:25 p.m. when Cota and his ex-wife, Carrie, argued at her apartment. She ran to the Storms’ house in the 1300 block of East Q-13 Street, and pleaded with the family to let her in, Deputy Jody Sharp said.

When Jeff Storm opened the door, he was shot by Jeff Cota, police said. The gunman then entered the house and shot Sandra Storm as she was calling police, Sharp said.

On Friday afternoon, about 1:15 p.m., two deputies on routine patrol spotted the Storms’ car parked outside a house on the 39000 block of Stanridge Avenue in Palmdale. The deputies woke Cota up and arrested him without incident, Sharp said.

Jeff Cota was charged with attempted murder and was booked without bail at the Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Station.