Police are seeking help today to identify a male passenger who allegedly yelled a homophobic slur from the car he was riding in, then shot a college student in the face with a BB gun at UCLA. The car's driver is also being sought.
The victim was reportedly walking in the 200 block of De Neve Drive, near Rieber Hall, at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday when he was approached by a white four-door sedan, according to UCLA Police Department interim Chief John Thomas.
After being fired upon, the victim was struck below the eye and sustained a minor abrasion, Thomas said. Police are calling the shooting a hate crime over the slur yelled from the car and the violent assault.
The driver is described as a male wearing a black ski mask, while the passenger was only described as a male, according to Thomas. It was unclear what motivated the shooting.
Anyone with information regarding the shooting is being urged to call the UCLA Police Department at 310-825-1491 or 911.