Martin Kovachev was 21 and a resident of Northridge when he died of a gunshot wound on October 10, 2020. The shooting happened in the early morning at a residence in Lake Balboa where a group of friends had gathered. Friends were reportedly passing around a handgun when it accidentally discharged and struck Kovachev. He was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival; the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office confirmed his identity and cause of death.

The Los Angeles Police Department investigated and arrested a 22-year-old woman who had been present, though the department did not disclose her name. Authorities characterized the shooting as an accidental discharge and said it was not gang-related.

Does anyone who knew Martin or was in Lake Balboa that night have information about how the handgun came to be circulated among the group?