A man who was fatally shot inside a Compton beauty supply store groped a female customer and was asked to leave the establishment, prompting him to become verbally abusive and threaten to kill people inside, ultimately leading another patron to shoot him, sheriff’s officials said Monday.
Deputies were called about 3:30 p.m. Sunday to the Pink Beauty Supply store in the 1300 block of East Alondra Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Arriving deputies found a man suffering from a gunshot wound, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
His name was withheld pending notification of relatives.
According to sheriff’s officials, the man entered the store following a female customer, eventually groping her inside the establishment, prompting an employee to ask him to leave.
The man then became “increasingly verbally assaultive” toward customers and employees, sheriff’s officials said.
“He started throwing and damaging merchandise in the store. The incident rapidly escalated. Employees and customers noted that the male had an object in his hand that they believed was a knife,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement.
The man then allegedly threatened to kill and harm everyone in the store, resulting in a “second customer” retrieving a personal firearm and shooting a warning shot toward him. According to sheriff’s officials, the man turned toward the customer, prompting her to fire a second shot that struck him.
When sheriff’s deputies arrived, the woman surrendered the firearm and was said to be cooperating with investigators.
Investigators believe, based on video evidence, that other customers were in the store, and they urged anyone who witnessed the confrontation to come forward. Other people were believed to be in the parking lot and may have seen the man before he went into the store. They were also urged to contact sheriff’s officials.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.