Asian man arrested for firing shots during parking space argument

Police have arrested a man who opened fire in a parking lot at a popular Orange County bakery often visited by Korean Americans.

The Buena Park Police Department reported the arrest of an Asian man who drew a gun and fired in the parking lot of Porto’s Bakery and Cafe on Beach Boulevard at around 6 p.m. on October 1. He claimed that someone had taken the space he was waiting for.

This bakery, which serves thousands of customers daily, is notorious for its limited parking spaces. This often results in long car lines outside and regular disputes between drivers over parking spaces.

In this instance, the suspect allegedly engaged in both a verbal altercation and physical scuffle over the parking spot. In the heat of the moment, he retrieved a gun from his vehicle and fired two shots. Thankfully, no one was harmed in the incident.

Many Korean Americans frequent the bakery and express their ongoing frustration over the insufficient parking. Some feel such confrontations were bound to happen given the circumstances.

“My family loves this place and visits regularly, but both the entrance and exit are constantly jammed with cars. As a result, minor accidents and confrontations are commonplace,” shared one Korean American. “Especially when emotions get heated, there are many cases of swearing and honking in the car, so it is very disturbing.”

BY BRIAN CHOI    [ichoi@koreadaily.com]