Gunman Ambushes Father With 2 Children in SUV

The shooter opened fire on a resident in front of the victim's home before fleeing on foot, police say

A father was hospitalized after a gunman opened fire as the victim exited his sport utility vehicle in which two children were sitting in the back seat.

Officials responded to a shooting in the 4900 block of Rupert Avenue about 5:50 p.m., just a few blocks south of Ventura Boulevard, said Los Angeles Fire Department Spokesman Erik Scott. The father was hospitalized in critical condition, but authorities said Thursday afternoon that his injuries are not life-threatening..

Two children in the SUV's back seat were not injured.

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The victim was shot in the chest as he got out of his Range Rover in front of his Encino home, police said. He was undergoing surgery at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, said Sgt. Medot of the LAPD’s West Valley Station.

The victim may be a jewelry dealer in the area, police said. Investigators said the attacker also is wanted with crimes in Beverly Hills. Details regarding the other cases were not immediately available.

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Neighbors described police patrol cars and helicopters swarming the neighborhood, including one man who heard the gunfire.

"Four shots, one, two, three, four, about 90 seconds of silence, lots of sirens after that, and a minute later, a helicopter with a spotlight," neighbor Jordan Mandelberg told NBC4. 

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Encino is an upscale neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley, 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

Police were still searching for the gunman Wednesday night. He was described as a white male in his 50s who fled the scene on foot.

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