A shocking incident unfolded in Canoga Park on Friday night when a woman intentionally crashed her car into a local taco shop, causing chaos and destruction. The Los Angeles police responded to the scene at Taco Reyes near Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Saticoy Street around 7:15 p.m., where a female driver drove her vehicle directly through the glass front entrance and into the dining area.
Witnesses captured the destructive scene on video, showing the driver repeatedly ramming her car against the inside wall as she alternated between backing up and accelerating forward. The terrifying ordeal unfolded in front of approximately 15 people who were inside the restaurant at the time. The commotion drew a large crowd of bystanders across the street as the mayhem continued until police arrived on the scene.
Bailey Thompson, who works at the bar next door to the taco shop, shared her account of the incident. The bar shares a wall with the restaurant that was repeatedly rammed by the suspect driver, causing extensive damage to both establishments.
As the chaos unfolded, officers surrounded the taco shop, and according to a witness who preferred to remain anonymous, a few shots were eventually fired by the police. The officers targeted the tires of the vehicle before a police squad approached with a riot shield to safely extract the suspect from the car. The woman was eventually subdued and taken into custody by the LAPD, with no customers or workers sustaining injuries during the incident.
While the motive behind the violent rampage remains unclear, the owner of Taco Reyes revealed to KTLA that the woman was a former employee who had recently been terminated from her position at the shop. The owner disclosed that the suspect had previously vandalized one of their taco trucks, resulting in her arrest and a two-day detention before being released.
The incident is currently under investigation by the police, with the suspect’s identity not yet disclosed to the public. Late Friday night, family members were observed cleaning up the debris and boarding up the restaurant, while the neighboring bar also remained closed as both businesses worked to repair the significant damage caused by the incident.
In conclusion, the intentional crash into the taco shop in Canoga Park left a trail of destruction and raised questions about the motive behind the violent act. The community is left to grapple with the aftermath of the incident as authorities continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shocking event.