Father Apologizes for Two Arrested in Laguna Killing

The father of two brothers arrested in connection with the slaying of a Laguna Beach motorist offered his sympathy and an apology Tuesday to the victim’s family.

“We feel sorrow for the other family,” John Camaj, an engineer from Downey, told reporters outside a courtroom here. “We feel sympathy too, and I’m sorry for what happened. It is a tragedy for our family and for [the victim’s] family too, because a human being’s life was involved.”

Camaj’s sons Victor, 18, and Tom, 21, were arrested after a roadside argument Saturday night ended in the shooting death of Loren J. Chadwick, 26, of Laguna Beach.

Tom Camaj faces a felony charge of being an accessory to murder, Deputy Dist. Atty. Debbie Lloyd said.

Camaj’s brother Victor was released after a police investigation determined that no charges would be filed against him, Laguna Beach police said Tuesday.

A third man, Joe Dzevad Dakaj, 19, of Rubidoux, was charged Tuesday with murder and the use of a weapon during the commission of a homicide, Lloyd said.

Investigators have identified Dakaj as the suspected shooter in Chadwick’s death.

Dakaj and Tom Camaj appeared in South Orange County Municipal Court on Tuesday, but their arraignments were postponed until Dec. 8.

John Camaj described his sons and Dakaj, whose parents were also present in court, as “good boys” who were raised “the right way” but got caught up in the violence of a street fight.

On Saturday night, one day before Dakaj’s 19th birthday, the three were on their way to a party when they became embroiled in a traffic dispute.

Passengers in two cars exchanged hostile words in traffic while headed south on Laguna Canyon Road. When the cars reached the 300 block of Broadway downtown, everyone got out and a fight broke out, police said.

Dakaj told Laguna Beach police that he thought one of his friends who had been fighting with Chadwick was hurt.

Police allege that Dakaj removed a 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun from beneath his car seat and fired four shots at Chadwick as he ran down an alley. One bullet struck Chadwick in the back and pierced his heart, police said.