Police were searching for a shooter after the victim was discovered near Murrieta and Hazeltine avenues early Monday.
LOS ANGELES — A person walking a dog found a man suffering from a fatal gunshot wound early Monday in Van Nuys, leading police to open a homicide investigation as the shooter remained at large.
Los Angeles police officers responded at about 2:10 a.m. to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon near Murrieta and Hazeltine avenues, east of Van Nuys Boulevard. Authorities said the wounded man had been shot in the head.
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene. Police said he was believed to be in his 30s, but officials had not publicly identified him as of Tuesday.
The person walking the dog encountered the victim during the overnight hours and alerted authorities, according to the initial police account. Officials did not release additional information about where the man was found within the area or how long he may have been there before the discovery.
Investigators had not announced whether the shooting occurred at the location where the man was found. Police also had not disclosed whether officers recovered a weapon, shell casings, surveillance video or other evidence.
No description of the shooter was immediately available. Authorities did not say whether investigators believed one person or multiple people were involved, and no vehicle description was released.
Police had not identified a possible motive or described the circumstances that led to the shooting. It also remained unclear whether the victim knew the person who shot him or whether anyone witnessed the attack.
The shooting occurred before dawn near a Van Nuys intersection east of Van Nuys Boulevard. Officers remained responsible for securing the scene and gathering evidence while investigators worked to establish a timeline of the victim’s final movements.
The man’s name was expected to be released after authorities confirmed his identity and notified his family. No arrest had been announced, and the investigation remained active Tuesday.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 4, 2026.