Parolee Gives Up; Suspected in Shooting of Woman, Dogs

STUDIO CITY —  A parolee wanted on suspicion of shooting a woman and killing two dogs following a traffic accident was surrounded by police in a residence and surrendered after a tense three-hour standoff.

Thursday night, police surrounded the residence in the 4500 block of Tujunga Avenue where the suspect, George Christie, 37, was believed to be hiding. Christie surrendered after Special Weapons and Tactics officers fired tear gas canisters into the building, Los Angeles Police Lt. Richard Blankenship said.

Christie was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and cruelty to animals and was being held in the Van Nuys jail without bail.

A woman, Christina Ayers, 32, was also arrested at the home on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.

Police had been looking for Christie, whom police described as a “parolee-at-large,” in connection with a hit-and-run accident and attacks on a woman and two dogs. Christie, driving a car with Ayers as a passenger, crashed into another vehicle in Panorama City on Tuesday night and tried to flee before police came, according to Blankenship.

When the other motorist tried to stop him, Christie drew a 9-millimeter semiautomatic handgun and fired several times, missing the driver and hitting a female bystander, police said. She was not seriously injured.

Followed by Ayers, Christie escaped through the backyard of a nearby house, where he shot two dogs. One dog was killed at the scene, the other had to be destroyed after being treated for a gunshot wound to the head, police said.

Blankenship did not identify the owners of the home where Christie and Ayers were found or the owner of the car they were driving when they crashed.