NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA — A store owner and employees were cleaning graffiti off the side of their store, put there by a gang, when that same gang approached them at 8 am during their cleaning efforts.
The graffiti included explicit words, as well as their demand for $100,000 from the store owner.
Things escalated quickly, and it seems the gang members weren’t completely prepared for what was about to happen.
“What the suspects weren’t counting on was the victim was armed too,” said Sgt. Frank Preciado.
The gang members exchanged dozens of shots with the owner, who had two firearms. The news source states that he had a “long gun and an automatic handgun,” but we’re smarter than that.
Members of the gang Armenian Power had been trying for weeks to extort the market owner, who is also of Armenian descent, Preciado said. He was being interviewed by investigators, and his name was not released.
via latimes.com
Witnesses told police that one of the gang members was seen limping away, but it wasn’t known if it was due to being shot. No other injuries were reported.
Having a firearm at a business location is an easier thing to do in California than being able to carry a firearm freely. Whatever setup this business owner had, he may very well still be alive because of the force he possessed to fight back.
Let’s hope the saga ends here.
