Man is fatally shot in drive-by

A 31-year-old man was killed Tuesday in a drive-by shooting as he stood holding a machete in front of a pay telephone in Montecito Heights, authorities said.

The man was acting strange shortly before the 4:40 p.m. shooting, repeating in Spanish, “I’m looking for death” and pacing in front of a phone in the 3600 block of Pasadena Avenue, police said.

The man had beaten the receiver against the console until it broke. Los Angeles police later recovered a second machete from behind the phone.

Witnesses told police that a gray Honda sedan pulled up to the sidewalk near the phone, multiple shots were fired and the victim dropped to the ground. A male with a shaved head climbed into the passenger side of the car before it sped away, witnesses also said. The victim, whose name was not released, died at a hospital.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact LAPD Det. Jose Carrillo or Det. Lisa Governo at (213) 847-4261, or (877) 529-3855 after hours and on weekends.

--

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske