Argument at Persian New Year's party led to Pasadena art college teacher's death

An argument at a Persian New Year's party in Westlake Village turned deadly when someone allegedly used a religious expletive against a guest's wife, police said Monday.

A design teacher at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Norman Schureman, 51, was shot and killed Sunday after the woman's husband left the party and returned with a knife and two guns, said Lt. Liam Gallagher of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

“There was a perceived insult, the suspect left the party with his wife, came back on his own with two guns,” Gallagher said Monday.

It was unclear who made the original insult, allegedly against the wife of suspect Steven Honma, 55.

Honma, who is a neighbor of the party's host in the 31000 block of Kentfield Court, returned to the party, where guests had been drinking alcohol, and pulled out a knife, Gallagher said. Honma flicked the knife open and shut in front of other partygoers, who tried to stop him, Gallagher said.

“They told him to put it away,” Gallagher said. “There was a physical altercation. They tackled him. That’s when he pulled a gun and fired it.”

Schureman was the only person hit, police said. Other guests held Honma until police arrived and arrested him. He remained in custody Monday.

Schureman, who lived in Altadena, also was a graduate of the Art Center College of Design. President Lorne M. Buchman referred to Schureman on the school's website Monday as a “celebrated and adored member of our community.”

-- Ching-Ching Ni

Photo: Norman Schureman was a professor at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Credit: Steven A. Heller / Art Center College of Design

Comments

[Jim Q. Citizen]

Alcohol = ANOTHER cause of the human race's undoing.

So many negative things happen when people get drunk.

Alcohol separates people from the God of their understanding.

[debra]

What a shame. So sad and tragic. RIP Norman.

[Chris]

This post makes no sense. He Flicked the knife and shut the other guy? What? Not only makes no sense it difficult to read.

[A. Mardoni]

This is how the news is biased. Had this happened at any other party, would the article say an American party, or a British party, etc. This type of association is only seen when there is bias; i.e Blacks, Muslim, Chinese, Hispanic, etc. I have never seen a crime article where, it would say a "white christian" ....

In this article, neither the suspect nor the victim is Persian, so why sensationalize the news with attribution to "Persian".

[CK]

This article is very poorly written. The guy flicks open a knife and starts shooting???? What? I had to read it over and over to figure out whos what and whos wife was insulted blah blah..

[UnbiasedMedia]

Im a little confused as to the relevance of the theme of the party being celebrated at the shooting's venue: "Persian New Year's," let alone placing it in the title of the entire article.

Are you trying to attract the attention of locals because of the high number of Iranian residents in Los Angeles?

Are you trying to attract readers in general because of the current drama surrounding Iran as a whole?

Either way, I feel the use of the word "Persian" in this article (let alone in the title) brings about a very misleading and negative connotation for Iranians for no valid reason, considering neither the victim nor the suspect were Iranian.

Let's keep the reporting to what's important: the unjustified death of an apparent art scholar. (And try to retain some class by NOT using such trigger words to attract attention to your article).

Rest in Peace.

[Eve]

Now the woman - who the murderer was so desperate to defend - is without a husband. BRILLIANT, LOSER.

Not to mention the instructor's life that is now lost forever and the students who needed him.

[Daniel]

Everyone please become an atheist ASAP.....religion is for the birds

[kid plumper]

Religion sucks. If you read history, look at all the harm it has caused. Believe in yourself.

[Jason K]

Clearly the insult was well deserved - probably made in observation of the truth, instead of a verbal baiting. Only ashamed, guilty men react with such childlike cowardice.

[Jeannie Roth]

That's pre-meditated murder in the first degree.
I read and hear plenty of insults hurled around lately.
Especially against Americans, Westerners, Christians, Republicans, etc. You don't see any of these people offended to the limit of violence.

[Ramin]

Most Iranian are 2000 years behind culture-wise, and very closed minded. He killed someone just because of perceived insult towards his wife! what a wacko.

[SeekAndDestroy]

White guy gets shot and it is front page news.

[ganjaman]

Religion prepares you for death and sometimes causes it prematurely.

[hao wu]

Norm is not only our teacher, mentor, father figure, but also a dear dear friend. He is a brilliant man who has lived a full filling life educating generations of young designers. He will be missed and live in every one of us forever.

Nothing is worth killing and destruction. From this incredible loss, there is a lesson to be learned...

[Sabrina]

That is truly sad. A man is dead all due to some hothead.

[Joe]

To Marcia Twane:

Your logic is skewed and twisted, Religion is not the problem. In this case it was a drunken human being. Its so easy to blame "Religion"...and most people who lack basic deductive logic always do this...blame it on Religion. Its not Religion: Its irresponsible human beings who have not been taught to use common sense or let emotions drive their decision making. Marcia, I know you can do better...

[moonlightjunkie]

Westlake Village the new ghetto.

[h]

No just a dumb person acting like an uncivilized animal. Great Persian New Year party let's see what happens next year. Maybe some idiot may comment on the ugly car they drive then all hell will break lose.

Grow up, acting like a child will get you in prison. Hopefully this will make an example of idiotic behavior.

[M]

The story says “There was a physical altercation. They tackled him. That’s when he pulled a gun and fired it.” It's not even clear that the gunman was specifically aiming at the victim.
Nor is it ever stated that the victim was the person who issued the insult at the gunman's wife.
It's always a bit alarming to read comments (and rabid ones at that) before all the facts of a story are even known.
And I still haven't figured out the value in having a "Comment" feature on news stories (commenting on opinion stories seems somewhat more logical).

[bry]

There is no such thing as Persia. It is called Iran.... Reagaedless, RIP Norman Schureman

[Jose]

Did the victim make the derogatory comment? What was the derogatory comment? We need facts and context.

Give us some facts. Interview the partygoers.

[Sophie]

Um, for everyone talking trash about Iranian people, I need to point out neither suspect nor victim are Iranian. But I suppose if they think ethnicity has inherent bearing on anger problems and murderous tendencies, well then, you're already a loss to humanity.

[Kurt Heinzman]

Did the title "persian new years" party have any relevance to the article and murder? What did persian party have anything to do with this incident. The title was unnecessary and just a way to bring attention to an incident that could've just been title: "Altercation at party" or whatever, but the writer decided to capitilize on the persian/iranian community to get more attention. I am not of Iranian decent, but the title of this article baffles me. If it was at a regular party anywhere else, it would've been titled: "Altercation at party leads to murder or man shot or whatever", no reason to exploit a particular race to get a better story, because the incident had really nothing to do with persians or not, regardless if racial slurs were thrown.

[Betty]

GUY, People from Persia/Iran are called Iranians and are not from Armania. They speak Farsi