Porn actor goes on rampage at video production office, police say; 1 dead, 2 wounded [Updated]
The man believed responsible for a rampage at a Van Nuys video production facility that left one dead and two wounded is a struggling porn actor who faced the loss of his job, authorities said.
Stephen Hill, 30, allegedly used a machete-style weapon in the attack, which occurred about 10:20 p.m. at a video distribution business on Hayvenhurst Avenue and Saticoy Street.
Los Angeles Police Department Det. Joel Price said Hill was both working and living at the offices of Ultima DVD Inc.
Price said Hill did production work and acted in several porn movies. But on the night of the attack, he apparently faced the loss of his job and eviction from the office.
Hill allegedly fled after stabbing the three co-workers. The victims were rushed to a hospital, where one was pronounced dead. There were seven people in the office when the attack occurred.
The LAPD is investigating the attack as a case of workplace violence. The suspect fled in a blue Toyota RAV4 with license plate 5YTC423.
-- Andrew Blankstein
[Updated at 10:17 a.m.: Since January 2007 there have been five homicides within two miles of Tuesday's fatal attack, according to data collected for The Times' interactive Homicide Report.]
Photo: Rescue crews tend to the victims of the attack. Credit: KTLA
EDITOR'S PICKS:
"If you can make it big here, you can make it big in Hollywood". Si Se Puede!!!
Posted by: Pedro Gambino-Gotti | June 02, 2010 at 08:30 AM
Now he will go from violating hot chicks to being violated by ugly dudes. What a moron.
Posted by: Jason | June 02, 2010 at 08:48 AM
So, this guy was going to get the "shaft"?
Posted by: Yo Mammy | June 02, 2010 at 08:48 AM
I guss he couldn't hack it!
Posted by: joe johnson | June 02, 2010 at 08:50 AM
31 and he drives a RAV? OMG! No wonder he lost it. That's just wrong! By the way, how do you lose your job, when your job is to have sex? Must be very difficult to get fired from sex.
Posted by: REALbarbwire7 | June 02, 2010 at 08:57 AM
Ugh.
Posted by: Ed Fugg | June 02, 2010 at 08:59 AM
Bet $100 he's on psych drugs.
Posted by: ZethByrd | June 02, 2010 at 09:07 AM
one of is co-stars kept calling him' shorty' !! almost as bad as 'speedy' !
Posted by: bobo | June 02, 2010 at 09:10 AM
The cialis side effect strikes again!!!...i can see so many innuendos with this story like "Raging porn star still at LARGE"
Posted by: Michael T. | June 02, 2010 at 09:17 AM
Too bad, i really enjoyed his stuff
Posted by: Cardinal Rivera | June 02, 2010 at 09:25 AM
This will be a movie within 2 years...
Posted by: x-bo | June 02, 2010 at 09:32 AM
How do one gets to be "struggling porn actor"? Either you're one or you're not. I don't think anyone "struggle" to become a porn actor.
Posted by: Maxi3d | June 02, 2010 at 09:46 AM
He didn't cut it ... oh wait, i guess he did!
Posted by: Coolio | June 02, 2010 at 09:58 AM
Why don't they say "web designer goes on rampage"? He seems to have done substantially more of that for Ultima than actual porn acting. You people seem to think he did it because he did porn...I just want to propose the possibility that he did it because they wouldn't let him do "enough" porn acting. There have been plenty of murders in Los Angeles this year, suddenly this one murder MUST BE because he did some porn acting...come on? Nobody seems to feel bad about the guy that died...is that also because that guy was involved in porn? Although REALbarbwire7's RAV joke is kind of funny.
Posted by: Unequa | June 02, 2010 at 10:03 AM
Maybe he got some bad ass... And I can't even get any.. What a dork....
Posted by: Danofive0 | June 02, 2010 at 10:04 AM
I thought this was a joke ad for a lumber company or a wood worker union or some hot dog company .... and on and on ...
Posted by: FN Cee | June 02, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Why don't they describe the suspect who is at large? They describe his vehicle.
Posted by: IG Farben | June 02, 2010 at 10:21 AM
Why do the news shows lie about the LAPD wanting info if the cops wanted uto catch this guy they would ask the TV newsshow tho show his picture and describe his hight and weight
Posted by: Elmer Gantry | June 02, 2010 at 10:24 AM
This is such a tragic story; I certainly feel for those who were attacked as well as their families. They did not deserve to be in this position.
Definitely illustrates that gun control will neither prevent, nor do the presence of firearms "cause" violence. The mentally unstable as well as criminals will simply turn to the next convenient weapon.
You can bet your life that if one of the seven in that office had a concealed handgun, there would have been less bloodshed and the attacker would either be in jail or the morgue...
Posted by: Not Suprised | June 02, 2010 at 10:24 AM
I'm sure he will receive a stiff sentence.
Posted by: Mikey | June 02, 2010 at 10:25 AM
This is a bad time to lose your job, even for a porn "actor".
I'm surprised this kind of thing is not being reported every single day as more people lose their jobs.
It's tough out there people, so hold hands and share your lunch with others, just like you did in Kindergarten. :)
Posted by: duncan | June 02, 2010 at 10:25 AM
VIVID is buying the rights to this story to turn it into a feature length film titled "THE ROD STRIKES BACK"... LOL
Posted by: NEEBUS | June 02, 2010 at 10:41 AM
...and he just bought a puppy?
Posted by: john goode | June 02, 2010 at 10:42 AM
what? he didnt shoot it with his gun?
Posted by: LA_Smiley_Brown_Face_in_a_Suit | June 02, 2010 at 10:42 AM
I'm sure being evicted was HARD ON him
Posted by: chris | June 02, 2010 at 11:42 AM