An investigation is underway following a fatal shooting at a shopping center in West Hills, Los Angeles County. The incident occurred around 8:40 p.m. on Thursday night in the parking lot of a Michaels arts and crafts store located in the Fallbrook Center shopping mall.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) detectives had been monitoring a man and woman suspected of involvement in a string of armed robberies in the San Fernando Valley. As they conducted surveillance, deputies observed a robbery in progress outside the Michaels store, leading to their intervention. During the confrontation, authorities fatally shot the man. The woman later fled the scene but was apprehended after leading police on a pursuit that culminated near Agoura and Lewis Road.
Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots, some describing the sound as resembling that of an automatic weapon. One local diner, Shawn Dadon, recounted the experience, stating, “At first we thought maybe it’s a car going by fast or whatever. And then it stopped for three to four seconds, and then another chain of like six to seven bullets again.”
The suspects are believed to be connected to a series of armed robberies occurring in nearby areas, including Calabasas and Thousand Oaks. The cluster of crimes reportedly began on January 13, when a woman was robbed at gunpoint on Calabasas Road. Two further incidents followed on January 21, marking a troubling pattern of armed thefts in the locality.
NewsChopper4 captured footage of heavy police presence in the shopping center’s parking lot, showing the Michaels storefront with multiple bullet holes in the windows. At the time of the shooting, a security guard stated that there were customers inside the store, further highlighting the incident’s alarming nature.
Details regarding the identities of the suspects have not yet been disclosed, as the investigation continues. This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by violent crime in communities, underlining the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts.