More than 100 crows shot to death in Westchester by unknown suspect, bullets narrowly miss people

WESTCHESTER, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A neighborhood is on edge after more than 100 birds were shot to death with bullets narrowly missing people in Westchester.

"I think the whole block is feeling pretty freaked out about it," said Westchester resident Brenna Lenoir. "It's crows, but how long until it escalates to pets and children or maybe the rest of us or perhaps a bullet ricochets off something?"

The Los Angeles Police Department is now investigating the deadly animal attack terrifying residents in the 8300 block of Chase Avenue.

The latest shots rang out Saturday on a murder of crows, killing three and injuring another.

Lenoir said the suspect targets the birds gathered in a massive tree, and they never know when the gunman will take aim.

"It's pop, pop, pop, sometimes a swish as it goes over your head. I was out with a neighbor the other day walking her dog and she ducked because she heard the noise come from above," Lenoir said.

More than 100 birds have been shot and killed, she said. It began before the pandemic and has been escalating since.

"We had an Easter egg hunt last Easter with all the kids and it was a rampage. 14 to 15 birds falling everywhere, kids screaming," said Lenoir. "We rushed everybody inside. It doesn't feel safe."

Lenoir said animal control has performed necropsies. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded when two hawks, which are federally protected, were killed. But so far the shooter remains a mystery and so does the motive, leaving residents on edge.

"Nobody knows why. Maybe it's a game to the person, maybe they're not all there," said Lenoir. "We just want it to stop. These things escalate, they often escalate and so it feels very scary."