KTLA

Deputies seek San Dimas man accused of fatally shooting brother

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a 62-year-old man accused of killing his brother in San Dimas Wednesday night, the department announced Thursday.

Joseph Dambra used a semiautomatic handgun to shoot and kill his older brother, Richard Dambra, in the 200 block of South Valley Center Avenue shortly after 7 p.m., sheriff’s Lt. Brandon Dean said in a Thursday press conference.


Joseph Dambra, shown in this May 6, 2021 photo, is accused of shooting and killing his brother in San Dimas on Oct. 6, 2021. (LASD)

Dean said the shooting was the result of “internal problems within the family,” but declined to “get into specifics” other than to say that Richard Dambra, 68, is a Florida resident who was in San Dimas visiting his mother when Joseph Dambra arrived at a family member’s home on South Valley Center Drive.

Joseph Dambra’s visit turned contentious very soon after his arrival and culminated in the shooting, Dean said.

The assailant then left the relative’s home, and a few minutes later he shot into the unoccupied car belonging to another brother of his in the 500 block of East Allen Avenue, Dean added.

“We believe he went to that second location specifically looking for that other brother, intending to shoot him as well,” Dean said.

Joseph Dambra, seen in this undated photo released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, is believed to be driving a 2016 Ducati motorcycle with the California license plate number 24T1111.

Dambra was described as being 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighing about 215 pounds. He has brown eyes, brown hair and a beard.

Dambra has nothing in his criminal history that’s “extremely violent” or “would lead you to believe he’d do something like this,” but he’s considered armed and dangerous, Dean said.

Dambra was last seen near the northbound 15 Freeway and the 210 Freeway driving a red and white 2016 Ducati motorcycle with the California license plate number 24T1111, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

“We have no reason to believe that he’s a threat toward any random community member. That being said, nobody should approach him, and they should use extreme caution if they see him and immediately call your local law enforcement agency and report his whereabouts,” Dean said.

Anyone with information can call Detective S. Blagg or Sgt. V. Choi at 323-890-5500. To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit lacrimestoppers.org.