Halloween Gunman Shoots Man 4 Times

A person wearing a ghost mask rang a man’s doorbell and shot him four times in the chest Saturday night, police said.

The victim, whose name was not released, was taken to Northridge Hospital and underwent surgery late Saturday night, said Lt. Mike Schneider of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Devonshire Division. Schneider said a doctor described the victim’s chances for recovery as “excellent.”

Police searched for the assailant, who was wearing a mask and dark clothing. The shooter rang the doorbell, waited for the door to open and then fired, said LAPD Sgt. Michael Donatoni, who investigated the shooting on Megan Place.

“Weird stuff happens at Halloween,” Donatoni said. “Crime has no boundaries.”

Police responded to Megan Place about 7:30 p.m.

Residents, who couldn’t recall the victim’s name, said the man had lived in the neighborhood for about a year and seemed friendly, often waving at passersby as he worked in his yard.

“It’s just scary to think this could happen here,” said Bjorn Pedersen, who has lived in the neighborhood for about 30 years. “As a matter of fact, we rarely see a police car.”