Suspect in Shooting of Mailman Identified

A suspect wanted in the attempted murder of a Los Angeles letter carrier was identified Monday and a warrant was issued for his arrest, authorities said.

Postal inspectors were searching for Vida Brook Lott, 24, of Los Angeles, who is suspected of shooting the letter carrier Friday morning.

Lott may be armed with a .45-caliber handgun and should be considered dangerous, said Pamela Prince, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Inspector’s office in Pasadena.

“The search for the shooter has been our top priority since we heard of the incident,” Prince said.

The carrier, Michael Berry, remains hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Berry, 41, who was shot in the head and abdomen, is “showing continued improvement,” said hospital spokesman Ron Wise.

Berry was shot in the 1500 block of South Manhattan Place while making his rounds.

Berry has been with the U.S. Postal Service 22 years and worked the same route for 17 years.

The Postal Service has offered a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman or anyone else involved in the shooting.

Authorities did not reveal a motive for the shooting.