In a scene vaguely reminiscent of something from a Hunter S. Thompson novel, a woman in Los Angeles was caught on camera Tuesday threatening traffic and firing a gun wildly into the air while waiting to merge at a stop sign.
Driving in LA seems like stressful business, and Tuesdays are hard enough no matter where you are trying to drive, which is why you probably shouldn’t have a six-shooter handy. Best not to have that temptation. From TMZ:
The video starts as the woman seems to be screaming at someone off-camera with her window rolled down — and before long, she whips out a handgun, which looks like a revolver, and loads it.
She points the firearm and then asks an ominous question ... “Anybody wanna die now? Anybody???” The woman appears to point the gun at different cars passing in front of her ... it makes for a terrifying scene. Even scarier is what she did next — unload a round straight-up through her sunroof.
Police eventually caught up with the woman and she was detained without further incident. She was charged with negligent discharge of a firearm, a felony. Police say she fired as many as five shots but didn’t hit any people or other cars, which is certainly a blessing. In the video she also seems to be shouting nonsensical things at traffic, so she may be suffering from a mental health episode.
Los Angeles is a car city. The commutes are extreme, the smog occasionally impenetrable and the parking situation intense, but Angelenos are rewarded with one of the most vibrant car cultures in the world. So vibrant that it makes us jealous and yes, even a little angry, but no matter how rust-free that 1986 Toyota MR2 is, violence is never the answer.
We sincerely hope that this frustrated driver received the help that she needs.