Man Killed Forcing His Way Into Wrong Condo

Stumbling into a dark and confusing situation, a Glendale man was shot to death Monday night while forcing his way into his neighbor’s condominium after mistaking it for his own, authorities said.

Ho Kil Koh, 56, who witnesses say was intoxicated at the time, tried to enter the home of Adrian Bal, 76, and awakened Bal and his wife about 11 p.m.

Bal alerted the building security staff and armed himself with a shotgun, authorities said. Security guards arrived just as Koh was trying to enter the home through the front door, and the guards ordered him to stop. Koh yelled back at the guards and refused to obey.

When Koh burst into the home, Bal fired one round into Koh’s chest, killing him, authorities said.

“Bal didn’t know security was in the hallway,” said Glendale Police Sgt. Bruce Fox. “It all happened boom-boom-boom.”

Both Koh and Bal lived on the ninth floor of the high-rise luxury building at 222 Monterey Road.

Investigators are considering the incident a mistake on both sides, but will present the case to the district attorney’s office for a determination, Fox said.

“Both families are very distraught,” Fox said.