Raul De La Torre, 45

Raul de la Torre, a 45-year-old Latino, was shot and killed on Monday, Aug. 14, as he was driving in the 10300 block of Fern Street in South El Monte. 

De la Torre was driving west on Fern Street about 10:30 p.m. when he was hit by gunfire from outside the car, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Joe Mendoza. 

He drove about half a block further before he crashed into two parked cars, Mendoza said.

De la Torre was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:53 p.m., according to coroner’s records. The cause of death was listed as a gunshot wound to the chest. 

Mendoza said De La Torre was driving a white four-door sedan through the residential area when he was shot. De La Torre had family in Covina, he said, but had been living with friends in South El Monte, near where he was shot. 

Investigators believe De la Torre was alone in the car, Mendoza said. Residents said they heard gunfire, but no one reported seeing the shooting. 

Mendoza said investigators don’t have a description of the shooter, and they don’t know if the person was on foot or in a vehicle. They also don’t know if De la Torre was targeted or was the victim of a random shooting, he said. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.  

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.