Woman shot, killed while behind the wheel in Sylmar

Sunday, January 8, 2017
Woman shot, killed while in car in Sylmar
A woman driving a black BMW was shot and killed while behind the wheel in a Sylmar neighborhood Saturday.

SYLMAR, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A woman driving a black BMW was shot and killed while behind the wheel in a Sylmar neighborhood Saturday.

The shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Tripoli Avenue and Harding Street. It was unclear if the woman was driving or parked when the bullet went through the driver's side window.

A neighbor in the area said her daughter heard the gunshot. But police said neighbors did not call 911. The BMW ended up on the sidewalk, which caught the attention of a resident driving home.

"About an hour and a half later, just prior to 9 o'clock, we had a witness who was coming home from work - a registered nurse at a local hospital. She saw the vehicle, approached it, saw the victim inside bleeding and rendered aid," LAPD Lt. Mike Kozak said.

The woman, who was in her mid-30s, was declared dead at the scene. Police said it was unknown if she lived in the area. It was also unclear who shot her and why.

"We'll canvas the area. We'll look for more witnesses. We'll look for video. We'll look at other evidence that we obtained at scene. Do some forensic analysis and see what we come up with," Kozak said.

Detectives had not determined if the suspect or suspects fired at the woman from another car or on foot. The coroner would determine the identity of the victim.

The investigation was ongoing.