LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two security guards at a downtown Los Angeles shopping plaza were wounded in a gunfight with a man as they attempted to prevent him from absconding with over $1,000 worth of stolen merchandise, as per the police statement on Tuesday. The guards encountered the individual as he exited a Target store at the FIGat7th outdoor shopping mall on Monday night. During the confrontation, the suspect discharged at least five rounds, prompting one of the guards to return fire, detailed Los Angeles Police Capt. Raul Jovel during a news briefing. The perpetrator managed to flee the scene but was apprehended several hours later.
“We are fortunate that no fatalities occurred during this incident,” Jovel remarked.
The apprehension of the alleged assailant responsible for injuring the guards ensued following an extended standoff on Tuesday at an apartment in Westlake, California, as reported by NBC Los Angeles.
The shooting marks the conclusion of a year in which California voters displayed their discontent with retail theft and other criminal activities, amid a prevailing sentiment that such offenses have been disregarded. A ballot measure that elevated shoplifting to a felony for repeat offenders was decisively approved, reversing a law enacted by voters a decade ago that reduced theft under $950 to a misdemeanor. The absence of localized data renders it challenging to accurately quantify the extent of the issue; however, viral videos earlier in the year depicted large groups of individuals storming major retail establishments and engaging in mass shoplifting. Additionally, voters removed several progressive district attorneys from their positions.
In Los Angeles, Jovel disclosed that the individual had packed over $1,000 worth of merchandise into his bag, which included stationery and apparel. Jovel urged the public to relay any pertinent information about the suspect to the authorities and emphasized that he was considered dangerous.
Jovel specified that one of the guards served as a loss prevention officer for Target while the other was an armed security officer for the mall.
Narrating her experience, Judith Conway informed KABC-TV that she was present in the Target store when gunshots reverberated, prompting shoppers to sprint down the aisles in a panic, with some individuals screaming and crying.
“We heard multiple gunshots, and we swiftly headed towards the rear of the store, abandoning our items in the cart, and focused solely on reaching safety,” recounted Conway.
There have been no immediate reports of shoppers sustaining injuries during the altercation.
