Regarding the Torrance shooting

I rarely respond to the statements that attack me in the user comments under the stories I write, but I feel compelled to say something about what's being written below my article about the shooting at a Torrance house on Wednesday.  It's one thing to have a legitimate discussion on whether the homeowners' names should be published. It's another to attack me personally. I'm not exactly Keith Olbermann or Bill O'Reilly.

So everybody knows, the police are continuing to investigate what happened and will hopefully provide more information Friday or in the days to come.

Nobody has complained about this story except for a man who lives in the house and a friend of his who sent a letter to the editor Thursday afternoon. It calls for my firing. They are attacking me for using the homeowners' names and are calling this shooting a private matter.

I disagree. We're talking about a shooting on a public street that endangered a whole neighborhood. Everyone has a right to know what happened and why. Stray bullets usually kill innocent people. Trust me. I've had to interview grieving parents plenty of times and it's not something I ever want to do again.

And while I personally don't live anywhere near this neighborhood or have any vested personal interest there, my job entails that I find out what happened.

When someone shoots up a house, no matter where it is, the first questions anybody -- reporters, neighbors and police included -- is going to ask are 1) Did anybody get hurt 2) Who lives there?  3) What's the motive?

We know the answers to the first two. We'll try to get No. 3 as soon as the police tell us.

I gave the homeowner, Mr. Sanders, a chance to talk to me when I went to his home on Wednesday. Yes, I was in his neighborhood and standing on his driveway with a colleague. He declined. I walked away. That's his right.

He declined again Thursday when he called to complain about the story containing his name. That's fine and he has a right to complain. Toward the end of the call, however, he said he hoped somebody shoots at my family so I can see what it feels like.

I stood my ground as he complained about his name, but I was taken aback when he said that about my family. I didn't really respond.

I've had a lot of negative things directed at me in my 23 years reporting crime. Sometimes they bother me and sometimes I laugh. But I don't believe anybody has ever made such a despicable comment like that before. Makes you wonder what he's previously said or done.

On another note, I'm going to save the letter to the editor. It's one of the best I've ever seen and I read it out loud in the newsroom. It speaks of "Altman's amazing talent of being the worst reporter imaginable."

That's epic!