Police search for suspect who yelled homophobic slur at UCLA student, shot him in face with BB gun

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Police are searching for a man they say yelled a homophobic slur at a UCLA student before shooting him in the face with a BB gun.

It happened around 1:30 a.m. Sunday in the 200 block of De Neve Drive, near the Rieber Hall dorms.

According to the UCLA Police Department, the student was walking when a white four-door sedan approached him.

The suspect, who has not been identified, shot at the student from the backseat of the vehicle, police said. The student was struck below the eye and sustained a minor abrasion.

The suspect and the driver of sedan took off shortly after. The driver was described as a male wearing a black ski mask, while the passenger was described only as a male.

"It's surprising," said student Olivia Taylor. "Usually, UCLA's kind of known for being an inclusive campus. So it's upsetting something like this would happen."

Police said they are investigating the incident as a hate crime. It's unclear if the suspects were also UCLA students.

"I have lived here for two years but I feel like I've gotten a police warning before about hate crime and like hate slurs being thrown at people. So it is really sad to hear that it's still happening," said UCLA student Mercy Shrestha.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to call the UCLA Police Department at 310-825-1491 or 911.