Sentencing Postponed for Marine Convicted in Bar Shooting

Sentencing was postponed today until Aug. 30 for a Camp Pendleton-based Marine who opened fire outside a South Bay bar after being asked to leave.

Sy Mitchell Schultheis, 23, pleaded guilty in June to felony discharge of a firearm in a grossly negligent manner in connection with the December 30 shooting outside South Bay Lounge.

Police said Schultheis was "very intoxicated" when asked to leave the 1671 Palm Ave. bar just after 2 a.m. Dec. 30. The staff eventually cleared the bar and locked up. The drunken Marine then banged on the locked doors but no one would let him in.

Gunfire rang out about five minutes later and the bar's owner exited the business to investigate, police said, noting he saw Schultheis in the passenger seat of a black sedan. Schultheis then fired a shot at the owner but missed before fleeing in the sedan.

A half-dozen bullet holes were later found in the bar owner's vehicle, police said.

Schultheis was arrested the next morning. The driver of the sedan, Effie Salmans, was also charged in the case. He pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and immediately was sentenced to three years probation and given credit for 13 days in custody.

—City News Service