Authorities are looking for two men they say are responsible for killing one person and injuring another in an apparent road rage shooting that stalled the 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights for hours Thursday evening.
The shooting was reported on the northbound lanes near Lorena Street shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
Authorities say two vehicles – a gold Cadillac sedan and a dark-colored Dodge Durango – were involved in an apparent road rage incident when the Cadillac rear-ended an uninvolved third vehicle.
Two men inside the Durango got out of the car and began shooting at the Cadillac, CHP’s Lt. Bob Purvis told TV reporters at the scene. Both the driver and passenger of the vehicle were struck by gunfire.
The Cadillac’s driver then made a U-turn on the freeway and crashed into other vehicles before coming to stop, NBCLA reported.
The passenger of the Cadillac, identified only as a man in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene according to the CHP. The driver was transported to a nearby hospital in an unknown condition.
The two men inside the Durango were able to escape the scene. A search for the suspects continues.
Shortly after the shooting, the CHP issued a Siglert, closing all northbound lanes of the freeway. The closure caused a traffic jam for miles during the afternoon rush hour. All lanes of the freeway reopened after midnight.
The shooting is under investigation by the CHP’s Southern Division Major Crimes Major Crimes Unit. Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact the CHP, Traffic Management Center at (323) 259-3200.
