Los Angeles: On October 23, 2004 at 3:30 a.m., twenty six year old Tae Joon Kim, a store clerk from Van Nuys, was driving his vehicle east on Victory Boulevard at White Oak Avenue in Encino. In Kim’s car were two male friends of his who had just left a nightclub with him. As they drove, they noticed a gold or tan colored GMC or Chevrolet Tahoe type vehicle driving next to them. The two occupants of the vehicle were the same two men whom Kim and his two friends had just had a conversation with at a nearby nightclub. For no apparent reason, the driver of the SUV suddenly opened fire with a small caliber handgun at Kim and his two friends. Kim was struck in the head with a bullet and immediately lost consciousness. His vehicle veered into the westbound lane of traffic, ran off the roadway, and collided with a tree on the north side of the street. The suspects continued driving east on Victory Boulevard. Kim’s two friends were not injured.

West Valley and Van Nuys Area officers responded to the location and established a crime scene perimeter. Kim was transported to Northridge Hospital and was admitted in gravely critical condition.

The suspects are described as two male Hispanics in their early twenties. One was wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey over a gray hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call the West Valley Homicide Unit at, 818-342-0449. A twenty four hour toll free number is available at 1-877-529-3855.

This news release was prepared by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.