2 security guards shot at Target store in downtown Los Angeles by suspected shoplifter, police say
By Marissa Wenzke
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LOS ANGELES (KCAL/KCBS) — Two security guards at a Target store in downtown Los Angeles were shot by a suspected shoplifter, leaving one of them in critical condition while the shooter remained at large Tuesday, police said.
The shooting happened just before 9 p.m. Monday at the store near 7th Street and Figueroa Street, when the guards tried confronting someone trying to leave with a suitcase containing stolen items, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The suspected shoplifter pulled out a handgun and fired multiple rounds at both victims before fleeing the scene on a bicycle, police said.
Surveillance video from the store shows the suspect attempting to walk out with the suitcase, according to police.
When officers arrived, they found both victims suffering from gunshot wounds, police said, with one of them unconscious and not breathing. The night of the shooting, LAPD said just one of the victims was a security guard, but on Tuesday, the department confirmed both individuals were guards at the store.
One of the victims was listed in critical condition while the person was in stable condition when paramedics took them to a hospital, according to police.
CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to Target for comment. Authorities have said the guards do not work for the retailer directly and it remains unclear who their employer is.
The store is located within the FIGat7th shopping center in downtown, which released a statement following the shooting.
“We are deeply troubled by the incident that happened last night,” the statement from FIGat7th reads. “We are working closely with the Los Angeles Police Department and are grateful for their swift action and response. As this is a developing investigation, we are directing all inquiries to the LAPD.”
No other details have been released by police.
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