LOS ANGELES — The man suspected of entering a restaurant at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles and fatally shooting a diner in an apparently targeted attack remained at large Wednesday.
The shooting was reported at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday at Fixins Soul Kitchen restaurant at the entertainment venue at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., adjacent to Crypto.com Arena.
According to police, the suspect entered the restaurant and shot the man, who fell to the ground. Several bystanders tried to help the man before he was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
A second victim, a woman who was also dining at the restaurant, sustained a graze wound, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
LAPD Cmdr. Lillian Carranza said the suspect knew the dead victim.
“This was not a random act,” Carranza told reporters, adding that police do not believe the victims knew each other and were eating separately.
At least a dozen witnesses, including the wounded woman, were interviewed by detectives. Police were also examining video surveillance from neighboring businesses in an effort to identify the shooter.
The suspect, described as a man in his 40s, left the scene in a white mid-sized SUV, authorities said. Police said he was dressed in dark clothing and wore a mask covering his face.
The restaurant’s owners issued a statement after the shooting saying, “Fixins Soul Kitchen is shocked and saddened by the incident that occurred this evening at our LA location. Our hearts go out to the victim’s family and loved ones.”
Fixins Soul Kitchen is owned by former NBA point guard and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.
Carranza said she considers the suspect to be “armed and dangerous and obviously, a threat to society.” But police insisted the actual shooting appeared to be a targeted attack of someone the gunman knew.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division at 213-486-6890, or during non-business hours or weekends, 877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
Community activist Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope called on residents to continue supporting Fixins Soul Kitchen, calling it a Black-owned business with a history of hiring local minority workers.
Source: Orange County Register
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