NEWHALL – A young man who was wounded in a vehicle-to-vehicle shooting on the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway in the Newhall area said Wednesday he believes he was targeted because his truck was decorated with an Armenian flag.
The 19-year-old motorist suffered a grazing gunshot wound to his left shoulder and glass fragmentation wounds to his face in the shooting that was reported about 11 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, on the southbound 14 Freeway between Crown Valley and Sand Canyon roads.
Harry Nalbandyan told NBC4 that he and his 17-year-old sister had participated earlier in the day in a march commemorating the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian genocide and were driving home from a family birthday and barbecue in Palmdale when a silver Honda CR-V pulled alongside his truck.
“He puts his window down, and with his right hand he takes out the gun and he shoots — he’s shooting me while he’s driving and while I’m driving,” Nalbandyan said. “And I managed to hit the brakes really hard and save our lives.” [View the NBC report here.]
Following the shooting, Nalbandyan drove home, and his mother drove him and his sister to a hospital. She also suffered glass fragmentation injuries to her face, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The suspect was described a black man in his 20s or 30s, with short hair and a thin build.
“No weapon description was given and it is unknown how many shots were fired at the victims,” according to a CHP statement. “Upon inspection, the victim’s vehicle was seized as evidence, having sustained multiple rounds during the incident.”
Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to call the CHP Newhall Area office at 661-294-5540.
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Alexis says
Every one of your comments are appalling! You don’t even feel badly about victim shaming. All your suspicious minds at work tearing down the victims.
David Davis says
It was a race crime spurred on by an ethical flag. Drive by shootings occur all the time in East Los Angeles and with resent migration of criminals into Palmdale and Lancaster from the LA area it’s no surprise that this would happen. The police are lazy and they refuse to come down hard on criminals.
Sounds like a fiction says
Something is definitely wrong with this whole situation I think he’s just trying to make it a racial situation maybe he got into a scuffle with in Turkish person sounds like some kind of a made-up story
Les says
There is an interview on another news station where he claimed it was because of his Armenian flag. How many people out there actually know what the Armenian flag looks like? So someone who knows what it is just happens upon them and is so offended by it that they shoot at them? I think there was some sort of road rage or other history with both vehicles and the flag had nothing to do with it.
Hate speeders says
The flag had nothing to do with it!! I see that truck every morning going to work and on my way home !! Every time I see it it’s speeding! Tailgating and cutting people off !!! He drives like an idiot . That morning he did it to the wrong person ! On the news video he said I didn’t do anything wrong he cane out of nowhere !!! That’s because I’m there culture it’s ok to drive like that ! I give the shooter a thumbs up ! To bad his bullet didn’t find the target !! Better luck next time!!
Robert says
Most readers with intelligence cannot believe you actually wrote that statement.
b says
no 911 call? You just drove home? What?
Lopez says
He knows what happened BS some one just pulled up to him And Began to shoot. He must have done something
Alby says
O0ops. Nevermind.
Alexis says
It happens a lot, Lopez.
Bob says
Might as well be. It’s full of enough bs
RF says
Multiple rounds? Yet he hit the brakes really hard? What part of the vehicle did the other rounds hit? Gonna be a bit suspicious if they are closely grouped.