Canoga Park: On Tuesday, January 8, 2002, at 1:35 p.m., West Valley officers responded to a shooting call at 22142 Sherman Way. The officers were advised that a 16 year-old male had been shot and had been transported to Northridge Hospital in gravely critical condition. A crime scene was established and West Valley Homicide Detectives responded and conducted the investigation.

The victim, Michael Phillip Urquidi of Canoga Park, was a student at the West Valley Leadership Academy and had just left school. He was standing in front of the school, talking to friends when a vehicle, driving westbound on Sherman Way from Topanga Canyon Boulevard, suddenly made a U-turn in front of the school. The passenger in the truck then fired one shot at the victim from a handgun. The victim was struck in the chest and the vehicle drove off eastbound on Sherman Way. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital at 2:30 p.m.

The shooting has been determined to be gang related.

The suspects were described as two male Hispanics and the vehicle they were driving is a silver, late model Ford F-150 pick-up truck with a toolbox in the truck bed.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call West Valley Homicide detectives at 818-756-8546 during business hours. On weekends and during off-hours, call the 24-hour toll free number at the Detective Information Desk, 1-877-LAWFULL, (1-877-529-3855).

This press release was prepared by Public Information Officer Jason Lee, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.