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Hollywood man killed in mysterious freeway shooting

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  • Hollywood man killed in mysterious freeway shooting

    Long Beach Press-Telegram, CA
    March 10 2004

    Hollywood man killed in mysterious freeway shooting


    By Phillip W. Browne
    Staff Writer


    NORTH HOLLYWOOD - Detectives this morning were trying to unravel the
    mystery behind an early morning shooting along the Hollywood (170)
    Freeway that claimed the life of a Hollywood grocery clerk.

    Garen Ketikyan, 20, was gunned down by someone inside a white Ford
    Mustang just after midnight as he drove north on the freeway near
    Sherman Way. His passenger, whose name was not released for his
    safety, was uninjured.

    The assailants are believed to be the same men who, just minutes
    earlier, were riding motorcycles and got into a confrontation with
    the victims, police said. Detectives also originally believed the
    case might be connected to narcotics, gangs or other criminal
    activity. But that also proved false, and the motive remains a
    mystery.

    "We ran a check on Garen and the passenger, and neither have a
    criminal record," said Detective Mike Coffey, with the LAPD's North
    Hollywood Division. "All indications are that they are good, hard
    working kids. And they were just out having some fun and visiting
    friends."

    The drama began about 11:45 p.m. Monday when Ketikyan, a student at
    Valley College, and his passenger were stopped at the intersection of
    Coldwater Canyon Avenue and Victory Boulevard "cruising and looking
    for girls to talk to," Coffey said. They were inside a 1998 Mercury
    Marquis.

    At the traffic signal, there were two men on motorcycles and a woman
    driving a Lexus who were stopped in front of them. When the light
    turned green, the Lexus drove away but the men on motorcycles did not
    move.

    "The victim began honking his horn, and the men got off the bikes,
    removed their helmets and began walking toward the Mercury in a
    threatening manner," Coffey said, adding that the victims noticed the
    men were Armenian. "No words were exchanged but the incident scared
    them. Somehow the confrontation ended without incident and everyone
    drove away."

    About 15 minutes later Ketikyan was driving north on the Hollywood
    Freeway when a white Mustang, with chrome wheels and paper plates,
    pulled alongside them and someone inside fired between 10 and 15
    rounds, striking Ketikyan in the head, Coffey said.

    A North Hollywood patrol officer on Sherman Way heard she shots, and
    saw Ketikyan's car come to a stop on the overpass. The passenger
    jumped out and began screaming for help as the officer raced up the
    onramp to investigate, Coffey said.

    Ketikyan was pronounced dead at the scene.

    The uninjured passenger told detectives he believed the men in the
    Mustang were the same people on the motorcycles.

    "It seemed kind of far-fetched to us that the assailants could switch
    vehicles and find the victims that quickly, but it's not impossible,"
    Coffey said. "We're following all the leads we can."

    The northbound 170 Freeway was closed between Burbank Boulevard and
    Sherman Way until about 4:40 a.m. while police investigated the
    shooting, said California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco
    Villalobos.

    Detectives did not have a good description of the suspects, except to
    say they are Armenian. They also want to question the woman who was
    driving the Lexus.

    Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Coffey at the
    LAPD's North Hollywood station, (818) 623-4075. On weekends and
    during off-hours, contact the 24-hour toll free number at the
    Detective Information Desk, at (877) LAWFULL, (877) 529-3855.
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