Man with machete shot to death in Montecito Heights

A 31-year-old man was killed Tuesday in a drive-by shooting as he stood holding a machete in front of a pay telephone in Montecito Heights, authorities said today.

Witnesses said the man was acting strangely shortly before the shooting at about 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, repeating phrases in Spanish including “I’m looking for death” and pacing with a machete in front of the pay phone at 3618 Pasadena Ave., said LAPD Detective P.J. Morris.

Prior to the shooting, Morris said the man had beaten the receiver against the console until it broke. Police later recovered a second machete from behind the phone, he said.

At the time of the shooting, witnesses told police that they saw a gray Honda four-door sedan pull up to the sidewalk near the phone, then heard multiple shots and saw the victim drop to the ground. Morris said witnesses saw a Hispanic male with a shaved head climb into the passenger side of the car before it sped away.

The victim was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, Morris said. Authorities had not released the victim’s name this morning pending family notification, Morris said. He said they do not believe the victim had any gang affiliation.

Investigators have not made any arrests in connection with the shooting or recovered a weapon, Morris said.

Contact detectives Jose Carrillo or Lisa Governo at (213) 847-4261 or 1 (877) 529-3855 after hours and weekends.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com