Homeless Man Shot To Death In North Hollywood

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA — A homeless man was shot and killed in North Hollywood Monday, and police are looking for the killer. It was the latest in a string of unsettling attacks targeting members of the homeless community in Los Angeles.

The victim was a 34-year-old transient. Police were called to the 7100 block of Whitsett Avenue, near Sherman Way at about 9 a.m. They found the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

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Detectives determined the victim had been shot several times and searched the area for evidence and witnesses, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The victim was a transient who stayed in the area, police said. His name was not immediately released. A 2015 report from the National Coalition for the Homeless found that California led the nation in attacks targeting people experiencing homelessness, a report from the Office of the Chief Legislative Analyst noted.

The NCH report said the number of attacks against persons experiencing homelessness nationwide has increased over the years, even though crimes against the homeless are reported at lower rates than other crimes.

Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call Detective Dave Peteque at (818) 374-1934 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo: Shutterstock