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COVINA (CNS) - Police today were searching an apartment complex for the man who fatally shot a man who was among a group of people chasing the shooter who was believed to have stolen something from a vehicle in Covina.
The wounded man died at the scene of the shooting, which occurred about 11 p.m. Tuesday in the 1800 block of Covina Boulevard, according to the Covina Police Department.
Authorities did not immediately release the man's name, but relatives identified him to ABC7 as Joey Casias, 38, a father of three and a 19-year UPS employee. A GoFundMe account established to help the family had raised about $6,400 as of Wednesday afternoon.
ABC7 reported about 4:50 p.m. Wednesday that police responded to and surrounded an apartment complex in the area of Bonnie Cove Avenue and Calora Street after a UPS driver reported seeing a man matching the shooter's description at the multi-unit structure.
Police were actively searching the apartment complex for the suspect as of about 6 p.m.
Officers were initially sent to the 1100 block of North Charter Drive about 11 p.m. Tuesday on a report of ``a suspect who had allegedly committed a theft from a vehicle,'' police said in a statement.
``The suspect had been seen by multiple neighbors who followed him as he fled to the area in the 1800 block of East Covina Boulevard,'' police said. ``Several of these neighbors confronted the suspect and during the confrontation, the suspect brandished a handgun. The suspect fired the weapon multiple times at the group, striking one. This victim, a male adult resident of Covina, died at the scene.''
Police released security images of the suspect, described as a man in his 20s with a light complexion who was armed with a handgun.
``This suspect is considered armed and dangerous,'' police said.
Anyone with information on the crime was urged to call Covina police detectives at 626-384-5622, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.
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