A man accused of spraying a woman’s vehicle with bullets at a Torrance shopping mall parking lot, then fleeing to the Philippines, was behind bars in Los Angeles Tuesday and facing an attempted murder charge.
John Paul Christman, 47, is also charged with shooting at an occupied vehicle and eight counts of shooting from a motor vehicle stemming from the May 9 gunfire at the Rolling Hills Plaza outdoor mall near Crenshaw Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Christman allegedly pulled up behind a woman who was parked at the shopping center and fired more than two dozen rounds at her vehicle, striking the car 20 times. Six bullets struck a nearby dance studio that was occupied at the time, prosecutors said.
It was unclear what motivated the attack. Nobody was struck by the gunfire.
Christman fled the scene of the shooting and traveled to the Philippines on May 14, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Local authorities worked with Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Marshals to apprehend and return him to the United States.
He appeared in court in Torrance Monday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. His bail was set at $1.95 million. Christman is due back in court Aug. 13, when a date will be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial.
He faces up to life in prison if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney’s Office.