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Investigators Hunt For Motive After Army Vet Killed

LANCASTER (CBS) — Detectives on Monday sought to determine a motive in the fatal shooting that left a 30-year-old U.S. Army veteran dead last weekend.

KNX 1070's Jon Baird reports homicide investigators are asking the public's help in solving the murder of Nathen Taylor.

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Taylor, who survived three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, was shot dead after a party in Lancaster while outside his brother's house around 12:10 a.m. on Saturday.

"Sitting in his own neighborhood and he just got shot down," said neighbor Gerald Garcia.

Lt. Mike Rosson of the Sheriff's Homicide bureau said Taylor was sitting in his car when several men approached and opened fire.

"We are trying to determine whether he was targeted or if it's a random act, maybe even mistaken identity," said Rosson.

No other victims were in the car at the time of the shooting, according to sheriff's deputies.

"Why? My brother loved everybody. There was nobody that he hated. He has never told me he has hatred towards anybody," said the victim's brother, Patrick Taylor.

Taylor's family is questioning the time it took for the ambulance to take him to the hospital.

County Fire records show that paramedics arrived six minutes after the 911 call was received, but it another 21 minutes for the ambulance to arrive at the hospital.

"If I had known, his car was still running, I would have moved him over and drove him to the hospital myself. That's what I should have done. But I had faith in the system. I don't anymore," said Jack Garcia, a family friend.

Officials said the suspects fled the scene on foot and remained at large on Monday. Authorities urged anyone with information to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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