Comment NASCAR driver Bobby East was fatally stabbed this week at a California gas station, authorities said, and police fatally shot his alleged killer while investigating the stabbing on Friday. East, 37, was filling up his vehicle at a 76 gas station in Westminster, Calif., around 6 p.m. Wednesday when he was confronted by a man and stabbed in the chest, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. “The victim was found on the ground with a serious stab wound to the chest area,” the Westminster Police Department wrote in a news release. Westminster police and the United States Automobile Club confirmed in news releases that East was killed. Police said Trent William Millsap, 27, was a suspect in the stabbing. Millsap fled the scene when authorities arrived, according to police. He was described as a potentially “armed and dangerous” transient. On Saturday, Westminster police said in a news release that police fatally shot Millsap at an Anaheim apartment where the West County SWAT team had gone to serve a warrant on him. No officers were injured, but a police K-9 suffered a non-life threatening gunshot wound. The Department of Justice and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the police shooting, the news release said. Police said a motive for East’s killing was unknown. Born on December 17, 1984, in Torrance, California, East was the son of USAC Hall of Fame car builder Bob East. He later moved to Brownsburg, Ind., to pursue his racing career, according to USAC. The auto club hailed East, a three-time USAC national champion, as “one of the most prolific drivers of his era.” East scored 56 USAC-sanctioned feature wins during his career. He competed in dozens of races for NASCAR as part of the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series between 2005 and 2008, according to racing news website Frontstretch. The motor racing world took to social media to mourn the loss of East. “He was a good driver,” Todd Bodine, a two-time NASCAR champion and Fox Sports analyst, tweeted. Charles Krall, who worked with East during his career, recounted how much he enjoyed watching the drivers race. “In an open-wheel car, there was no one better,” Krall wrote. Our team is incredibly saddened to hear today’s news about Bobby East. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/rLh5iE81wd — RFK Racing (@RFKracing) July 16, 2022 I have the best memories of working with Bobby East. In an open wheel car, there was no better. Sorry to hear the news today. My love and thoughts are with his parents, Bob and Janice, and the entire East family. Fight in peace Bobby 🏁 pic.twitter.com/jNh8RFuwPL — Charles Krall (@ChasKrall) July 15, 2022
