Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detectives Friday are investigating the fatal shooting by a detective of a man who they say attempted to rob a woman at a West Hills shopping mall.
The shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Fallbrook Center Shopping Plaza in the 6600 block of Fallbrook Avenue, between Vanowen Street and Victory Boulevard, LASD Daniel Dominguez told City News Service.
In an interview, LASD Homicide Lt. Steven DeJong told reporters that detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Bureau were conducting a surveillance operation at the mall regarding a series of robberies in the Malibu/Lost Hills area when they saw the suspect approach a woman in the parking lot and attempt to rob her.
Two LASD detectives attempted to detain the suspect when the shooting occurred.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles Fire Department personnel.
Video from KeyNews.TV showed a white canopy covering a body in front of Michael’s Arts and Crafts Store.
” It appears that the suspect was armed with a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine, ” De Jong said.
Further details surrounding the shooting were not immediately known.
An unidentified woman was heard screaming as she arrived at the mall, bursting through the yellow crime scene tape. “Let me see my grandson! I want to see him!”
De Jong said a second suspect — a woman– drove away from the mall and was later captured in Agoura Hills. “We still have to question her,” he said.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the LASD and the Los Angeles Police Department, arrived at the scene and will be part of the shooting investigation.