(KTLA) — A former Los Angeles Lakers player confronted three home invasion suspects who attempted the brazen break-in of a Sherman Oaks, California, residence in broad daylight on Wednesday, police said.
According to Los Angeles police, former Lakers forward Christian Wood was inside the home on Otsego Street when the three suspects broke through the back door around 1 p.m.
The would-be robbers were met by an armed Wood, who police said fired three rounds into the ground, scaring off the intruders.
Investigators said the suspects, who remain on the loose, were last seen fleeing the area in a gray Jeep Cherokee.
Sky5 of Nexstar’s KTLA was over the scene as officers searched the property for evidence on Wednesday afternoon. It did not appear that anything was taken from the home, and no injuries were reported.
Wood, who is from Long Beach, played for the Lakers from 2023 to 2025. His NBA career started with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2015 season, followed by stints with the Charlotte Hornets, the Milwaukee Bucks, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Detroit Pistons, the Houston Rockets, and the Dallas Mavericks. Before joining the league, Wood played collegiate basketball with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The incident is a shocking reminder for residents of the San Fernando Valley, who have been plagued by burglaries and robberies recently.
“American Idol” executive Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas DeLuca were murdered inside their Encino home during a July break-in. Investigators believe that Raymond Boodarian, now charged with two counts of murder and one count of residential burglary, used the couple’s own gun to kill them and then called 911 on himself.
Source: Fox 8 News Channel