With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Paparazzo Killed While Trying to Take Pictures Of Justin Bieber's Ferrari
Last night, a celebrity photographer was fatally struck while on his way to take photographs of Justin Bieber's Ferrari. The photographer,identified as Chris Guerra, had been crossing Sepulveda Boulevard near the Getty Center around 6 p.m. when he was hit by a car. The Ferrari, which belonged to Bieber but was being driven by someone else, was stopped on the 405 and directed to pull over on Sepulveda. Guerra, who had been following the car, got out of his car, too. According to KTLA, "Police instructed him to return to his vehicle because it was a dangerous spot of the Sepulveda Pass, with blind spots and speeding " The LAPD's Sgt. Rudy Lopez said, "[The photographer] seemed reluctant to go back, but eventually he did. While this photographer returned to the vehicle, it did not appear as if he was looking, and he was struck by a vehicle traveling southbound on Sepulveda."
Guerra was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. NBC Los Angeles adds, "Charges will not be filed against the woman driving the car who hit the photographer."
TMZ reports, "Sources tell us -- Guerra, who was in his late 20s -- was following Bieber all day Tuesday. Guerra called someone connected with a paparazzi agency at around 5:30 PM to say he was waiting for Justin, who had pulled into the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills a short time earlier. Guerra abruptly said the Ferrari was pulling out of the hotel and he had to leave. Guerra apparently assumed Justin was in the car. As we first reported ... he was not." It seems that rapper Lil Twist was in the car.
UPDATE: Guerra called a friend shortly before he was killed and told him that he had a big scoop: he saw Justin Bieber smoking marijuana out of a pipe. The anonymous photographer spoke to TMZ about Guerra's last call and said the photographer might have be "overzealous" at the traffic stop because he thought he was about to get a huge scoop.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember.
-
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain.
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care.
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
-
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past.
-
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.