LOS ANGELES, CA – A man was fatally shot early Tuesday after confronting two suspected thieves attempting to steal a catalytic converter from a neighbor’s car in an Inglewood neighborhood, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at around 3:22 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue, just north of Vincent Park. According to the Inglewood Police Department, Johnny Sanchez, 52, was leaving for work when he noticed two individuals near a vehicle and stepped outside to confront them. Moments later, one of the suspects opened fire, striking Sanchez in the chest. He died at the scene.
Sanchez’s actions were captured on a Ring surveillance camera, which authorities are reviewing as part of their investigation. Police say the suspects fled in a gold 2002–2006 Toyota Camry with tinted windows, a sunroof, and a malfunctioning left fog light. The vehicle was last seen heading south on North Chester Avenue before turning east onto 65th Street.
Detectives have described one of the suspects as a man between 5’4” and 5’6” tall, weighing 180 to 200 pounds, and last seen wearing a gray shirt and black pants. Authorities warned that the vehicle and its occupants should be considered armed and dangerous.
Sanchez’s family said he left his home minutes before the shooting to get an early start on a new work assignment. He had recently been promoted and was preparing to work on a project in the Palisades Fire zone. Known for his dedication and religious faith, Sanchez was a regular churchgoer who volunteered on Sundays and rarely missed Mass.
“All he said was, ‘hey, hey,’ and they shot him in the chest,” his sister, Susana Sanchez, said. “Stop what you are doing. A life is not worth a piece of metal.”
Family members described him as a hardworking man and the sole provider for his household. His wife recently left her job to undergo chemotherapy, and the couple has two sons, aged 12 and 22. “Now he’s gone, leaving my sister-in-law and two sons without support,” his sister said. The family has since launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover expenses.
The killing marks another deadly instance of catalytic converter thefts escalating into violence. The case draws parallels to the May 2024 shooting of actor Johnny Wactor, who was gunned down in downtown Los Angeles while reportedly attempting to stop suspects from stealing the catalytic converter from his car. In both incidents, the suspects fled in waiting vehicles, and in both cases, police believe the shootings occurred without provocation.
Catalytic converters are a frequent target of thieves due to the presence of high-value metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium. These components, which are part of a vehicle’s exhaust system, can be quickly removed and sold on the black market, often fetching hundreds of dollars apiece. Replacing one can cost car owners thousands of dollars.
The growing incidence of theft-related violence has prompted calls for stricter regulations on the resale of used catalytic converters and enhanced enforcement against scrap metal trafficking. Some California lawmakers have introduced legislation requiring identification and proof of ownership for all catalytic converter sales.
Inglewood police are urging anyone with information about Tuesday’s shooting to contact homicide Detective Luis Rodriguez at 310-412-5124 or the department’s watch commander at 310-412-5206 after hours.
