Fatal shooting of man in Hollywood was another 'follow-home robbery,' LAPD chief says
According to witnesses, the suspects drove away from the scene in a black Nissan and are described as men with handguns.
HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- A man was shot and killed early Tuesday in Hollywood in what Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said was another in a series of "follow-home robberies."
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Station responded at 2:10 a.m. to 7181 Sunset Blvd. outside the Bossa Nova Restaurant on multiple calls of a shooting, where they found an unresponsive 23-year-old man, according to Officer Drake Madison of the LAPD.
The wounded man died at the scene, Madison said. His name was withheld, pending notification of his relatives.
According to witnesses, the armed male suspects drove away from the scene in a black Nissan, Madison said.
No arrests were reported.
Later Tuesday, LAPD Chief Michel Moore told the city's Police Commission that the crime was connected to another "follow-home robbery," in which robbers follow people who are wearing high-end jewelry or have expensive vehicles or other belongings.
Moore said the department has identified 133 likely instances of such crimes.
Moore said the 23-year-old victim was "coming to the aid of a female who was being attacked" when he was killed.
The chief announced that the LAPD will create a task force to investigate the crimes, which will be composed of robbery homicide detectives and resources from the LAPD's Gang Narcotics Division and Metropolitan Division.
"They'll work moving forward on identifying these individuals responsible and pursuing and bringing them before the criminal justice system,'' Moore said. "The impact this is having on the sense of community, of safety, is profound."
He added that people should not try to protect their property when confronted with robbers.
"There's no item of jewelry or piece of property that they have that is worth their life, and so if they find themselves in such a perilous situation, to cooperate, be a good witness. ... do not chase people, do not try to pursue people and do not try to take actions yourself other than to minimize the chance that you become a victim of the type of violence we saw this morning," he said.
He added that if someone notices they're being followed, they should not drive home and instead go to a police station and call 911.
"Do not stop, do not make a confrontation with the individual. Instead, call us and let us come and help."
Anyone with information on the crime was urged to call 877-LAPD-247.
