2 Teenagers Held After BB Pellets Fired at Pedestrian
SIMI VALLEY — Police arrested a 19-year-old man and a male juvenile on Wednesday on suspicion of shooting BB pellets at a pedestrian from a car.
John Zarling, 29, of Simi Valley was not struck by the pellets, which were fired near the intersection of Royal Avenue and Venice Street shortly after 1 p.m. Zarling gave pursuit and caught up with the two suspects at Royal and Corto Street--nearly two miles west of where the shooting occurred--and held them until police arrived.
Soum J. Laykham and the juvenile, both of Simi Valley, were taken into custody without incident.
Simi Valley police charged both teenagers with assault with a deadly weapon.
Interviews at the station implicated the pair in at least six other similar BB shootings in the Simi Valley area, Sgt. Gary Collins said. “We are investigating six other cases and he [Laykham] matches the description or he has admitted to them,” Collins said.
Officers would not speculate if the incident was a copycat crime of the rash of BB attacks on vehicles traveling Los Angeles-area freeways since mid-September.
Police issued a citation to the juvenile and released him to his parents.
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