Police say two suspects fled in a black Chevrolet Traverse after shots rang out before sunrise in the hills above Ventura Boulevard.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A homeowner opened fire during an attempted burglary early Tuesday in Studio City, prompting two suspects to flee in a dark SUV, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The gunfire was reported around 4:40 a.m. on the 11600 block of Laurelcrest Drive, a hilltop street of multi-level homes north of Ventura Boulevard. Officers arrived to find the suspects gone and no residents reporting injuries at the scene.
Investigators say the break-in attempt and shooting unfolded quickly in low light, with few people outside at that hour. Detectives are reviewing security footage and canvassing the neighborhood for additional video and witnesses. The case has drawn attention because of a recent spate of burglaries in affluent stretches of the San Fernando Valley and because the suspects left before officers could determine whether they had been struck. Police say the investigation remains in its early stages as they work to confirm how the intruders got inside and whether anything was taken from the Laurelcrest Drive home.
Police said the confrontation began when at least two people approached the home shortly before dawn. The homeowner fired multiple rounds after seeing the suspects near an entryway, according to preliminary accounts shared with detectives. Neighbors told officers they heard a single volley of shots, followed by hurried footsteps through shrubs on the hillside. A black Chevrolet Traverse was seen leaving the area moments later, heading down toward the valley floor. One neighbor described hearing an alarm activate as the SUV sped away, and several residents reported being awakened by the rumble of an engine idling on the street just before the gunfire.
Authorities initially could not confirm whether any intruder was hit. Later Tuesday, police said a 16-year-old boy was dropped off at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to the upper body that matched the time and general location of the incident. The teen’s condition was listed as stable. Detectives are working to confirm his connection to the Laurelcrest Drive break-in and to identify the second suspect, described by witnesses as a male wearing a gray hoodie. Officers also noted that no one inside the home reported injuries at the scene, and it remained unknown by midday whether property was stolen or if the suspects gained full entry.
The hillside block where the shooting occurred sits between Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards, an area dotted with security cameras and narrow, winding roads. Neighbors said cars rarely linger before sunrise. One resident who watched from an upper balcony said she saw the SUV’s lights flick on and off and photographed the license plate before waking her husband. “Within minutes, we heard a gun go off,” she said, adding that she could hear people running through vegetation before a car door slammed and the vehicle accelerated downhill. Another neighbor said the episode underscored concerns about late-night prowlers who target homes while residents sleep or return from evening plans.
Police technicians collected shell casings and documented footprints along the curb and in a landscaped slope beside the driveway. Detectives requested any home-security or doorbell video recorded between 4 and 5 a.m. along Laurelcrest Drive and adjacent cul-de-sacs as they reconstruct the route the suspects took in and out of the neighborhood. Investigators are checking area hospitals for additional walk-in patients with recent gunshot injuries and are working to locate the Chevrolet Traverse for forensic processing. Officers said they planned to increase patrols through the area in the coming days while they follow up on tips.
Authorities did not immediately announce arrests or charges. If the wounded teenager is confirmed as a participant in the break-in, detectives are expected to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney for possible filing decisions. Any determination about the homeowner’s use of force will follow a review of evidence, interviews with everyone involved and an assessment of California’s self-defense laws. Investigators also will evaluate whether the residence was specifically targeted and whether the incident is linked to other burglary crews that have operated across the Valley in recent months. Police said updates could come after additional witness interviews and a more thorough review of neighborhood surveillance video.
By late afternoon Tuesday, yellow tape still cordoned off the driveway as detectives moved in and out of the home. Crime-scene photographers documented a shattered pane near a side entrance and measured marks in a planter where residents said they heard rustling just after the shots. A man walking his dog paused near the corner and shook his head. “You don’t expect this before dawn on a quiet street,” he said. “People were already up, lights on, and whoever it was still didn’t leave until after the shots.” Residents on the block said they planned to compare camera clips with neighbors and share recordings with police.
As of Tuesday evening, police said the investigation was active, with detectives working to verify whether the hospital patient is one of the two suspects seen leaving in the Traverse. No arrests had been announced. Officials said they expect to release an update after they complete the initial round of interviews and evidence collection later this week.
Author note: Last updated February 1, 2026.