Inglewood man fatally shot while confronting catalytic converter thieves

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A family is grieving after a man was fatally shot while confronting thieves outside his Inglewood home. 

Authorities are asking for the public's help locating the two men and an "armed and dangerous" suspect vehicle wanted in connection with the shooting. 

What we know:

The shooting occurred at 3:22 a.m. Tuesday in the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue, near East 65th Street, about a block north of Vincent Park, according to the Inglewood Police Department.

Police say the victim, Johnny Sanchez, confronted two catalytic converter thieves. One of them opened fire, killing him. The incident was captured on Ring camera. 

Sanchez' family said they were attempting to steal the catalytic converter of his neighbor's car and intervened. 

Family speaks out 

What they're saying:

"All he said is ‘hey, hey,' he was shot on the chest. Stop what you are doing a life is not worth a piece of metal," his sister Susana Sanchez told FOX 11. 

"He was a big man of faith. He never missed mass on Sunday. He volunteered at church Sunday."

Sanchez‘ family said he left his house around 3:20 that fateful morning because he wanted to get to work an hour early. He had just been promoted for a project in the Palisades Fire zone and wanted to get an early start.

They say he was a hard worker who always wanted to do the right thing. 

"He was the sole bread winner for the house. Now he’s gone, leaving my sister-in-law and two sons."

His family said his wife quit her job to undergo chemo. They started a GoFundMe to help her and their 22 and 12-year-old sons.

Search for suspects 

According to police, two suspects were seen getting into the car and driving away south on North Chester Avenue then east on 65th Street. 

The car is described by police as a gold 2002-2006 Toyota Camry four-door sedan with tinted windows and a sunroof. The left front fog light was not working.

Police described the suspects as two men. One of them was described as between 5'4" and 5'6" tall, weighing 180 to 200 lbs., and was last seen wearing a gray shirt and black pants.

Johnny Wactor murder

Dig deeper:

This case in Inglewood is eerily similar to the murder of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor, who police say was killed while trying to stop a catalytic converter theft in downtown LA.

RELATED: Johnny Wactor murder: Hearing set for 2 charged in actor's killing

Wactor, 37, was shot and killed on May 25, 2024 when he walked in on thieves stealing the catalytic converter from his car in downtown Los Angeles. Police said Wactor had left work at a rooftop bar with a coworker when he saw three men who had hoisted his car. Police said one of them fired at him without provocation and killed him. The men fled in a car and Wactor was taken to a hospital, where he was later declared dead, police said.

Why you should care:

Law enforcement says catalytic converters are popular to steal because they contain valuable and expensive metals. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Catalytic converter theft trend continues in LA County

Catalytic converters, which are attached to the exhaust system of a vehicle, can cost thousands of dollars to replace. They contain precious metals and can be "scrapped" for quick profit. 

What you can do:

Anyone with information regarding this shooting was asked to call homicide Detective Luis Rodriguez at 310-412-5124 or after hours the department's watch commander at 310-412-5206.