Police said a Pomona man was arrested after a pursuit that ended in Lancaster.
POMONA, CA — A 25-year-old woman was identified by her family as one of two people killed Thursday afternoon in a shooting at a Pomona apartment complex, where police later named a local man as the suspected gunman.
The shooting set off a homicide investigation in eastern Los Angeles County and a long California Highway Patrol pursuit that stretched from Pomona through the Santa Clarita Valley and into the Antelope Valley. Pomona police said the suspect, 48-year-old Robert Galtman, was taken into custody after officers stopped his vehicle. The second victim, a man, had not been publicly identified by authorities as of Friday morning.
Officers were called about 3:22 p.m. Thursday to the 100 block of East Monterey Avenue after reports of gunfire. Police found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds in a hallway of an apartment building near Monterey Avenue and Garey Avenue. Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics tried to treat both victims, but they were pronounced dead at the scene. A neighbor, Emmanuel Guzman, said police blocked the hallway after the shooting. “Whatever happened, happened in the hallway,” Guzman said. Police have not released a full account of what led up to the gunfire.
Family members identified the woman as Veronica Lopez, 25, of San Diego. Her relatives said she had been in a relationship with Galtman for about two years and that they had urged her to leave. Her father, Coby Lopez, described her as “very beautiful, very young, very talented,” and said she had been a pro skater. Her sister, Klarissa Lopez, said the family learned of the shooting after seeing news coverage of the suspect’s arrest and footage that showed Veronica Lopez’s dog. The family then contacted police and went to the apartment complex where relatives said Galtman lived.
Police said Galtman fled after the shooting. After officers received a description of his vehicle, CHP officers located a black Kia sedan on the northbound 5 Freeway near Roxford Street. Authorities said the driver failed to stop, starting a pursuit shortly before 5:30 p.m. The chase moved through northern Los Angeles County, including the Santa Clarita Valley, Newhall and areas near Lake Hughes Road. Television footage showed the vehicle on freeways and mountain roads, with officers following at a distance. ABC7 reported that the driver was seen throwing objects from the vehicle during the chase, though police did not immediately say what those objects were.
The pursuit ended after officers used a spike strip and a PIT maneuver, a tactic used to turn and stop a fleeing vehicle. NBC Los Angeles reported that the car was stopped near 20th Street West and West Avenue K in Lancaster. Galtman got out and appeared to comply with officers, who had their guns drawn. CHP said he was taken into custody about 7:10 p.m. ABC7 reported that officers also recovered a small puppy from the vehicle and carried it away safely. Police said they did not believe there was any continuing threat to the public after the arrest.
The case was assigned to the Pomona Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit. Police have not announced a motive, and no detailed charging document had been released by the department Friday morning. The Los Angeles Times reported that Galtman was booked Thursday night and was being held in lieu of $3.1 million bail, citing county booking records. Police said the victims’ names were being withheld pending verification and notification of relatives, even as Lopez’s family publicly identified her. The man killed in the hallway remained unidentified in public reports.
The apartment complex sits near a busy part of Pomona, close to Garey Avenue and Monterey Avenue. The shooting drew a large police and fire response Thursday afternoon, followed hours later by live television coverage of the pursuit. Neighbors told reporters they recognized the woman and the suspect but did not know the second victim. Lopez’s relatives described her as a young woman who loved the San Francisco 49ers, skateboarding and her family. Her mother, Sheila Lopez, said, “She definitely didn’t deserve this,” as relatives gathered near the scene.
As of Friday morning, Pomona detectives were still gathering evidence, reviewing the chase and working to confirm the circumstances before and after the shooting. The next public milestone is expected to be the filing decision from prosecutors or a further update from Pomona police.
Author note: Last updated June 19, 2026.