Attempted murder charges filed against suspect in shooting of security guards outside DTLA Target

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A 25-year-old man suspected of shooting a pair of security guards during an attempted robbery from the Target store at the FIGat7th shopping mall in downtown Los Angeles was charged Friday with attempted murder and attempted robbery.

Jabril Metoyer appeared in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Friday morning and pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder and five counts of attempted second-degree robbery. The charges include various allegations of personal discharge of a firearm, use of a firearm and great bodily injury.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who was elected in November touting a tough-on-crime stance that accused his predecessor -- George Gascón -- of refusing to apply sentencing enhancements in many cases, said the gun allegations filed against Metoyer could lead to a 25-years-to-life sentence if he is convicted.

"In the past four years, if someone engaged in attempted murder using a firearm as part of it, the gun enhancement that would have been applied -- if it would have been applied at all -- would have been a lower gun enhancement," Hochman told reporters at a Friday morning news conference outside the Target store. "We're using a gun enhancement that basically treats this crime as a potential life sentence. And again, we're doing that on purpose because we want to send a very strong message to anyone who thinks they can use a gun in connection with a violent crime, as this has turned out to be, that they will deal with a potential maximum consequence."

He added, "The use of that gun enhancement we are hoping will deter further criminals from using guns in the future."

A suspected shoplifter was taken into custody one day after he allegedly shot and wounded two security guards outside a Target store in downtown L.A.

Metoyer was arrested Tuesday following an hourslong standoff with the Los Angeles Police Department at an apartment/hotel building about a half-mile away from the Target store at 735 S. Figueroa St. He was initially held in lieu of $3 million bail, which was later increased to $4.1 million.

Officers responded to the outdoor mall at around 8:55 p.m. Monday to reports of several shots fired, according to the LAPD.

According to Hochman, Metoyer tried to walk out of the store with at least two suitcases containing items stolen from the store, but he was confronted by a total of four loss-prevention and armed security guards.

"When they stopped him at that point, Mr. Metoyer drew a 9mm gun and shot two of the individuals who attempted to stop him, one an armed security guard who returned fire and the other a loss-prevention officer," he said.

Police said the armed security guard worked for the FIGat7th mall, while the loss-prevention officer worked for Target. The security guard was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released. The loss-prevention officer was critically injured and remains hospitalized.

Two separate shootings within blocks of each other left four people injured, including two security guards, Monday night in downtown Los Angeles, according to police.

Shortly after the shooting, police released surveillance video photos of the suspect, generating tips that led officers to the nearby hotel, where a four-hour SWAT standoff ensued. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the suspect was arrested after officers deployed a "chemical agent" that drew him out of the building. A 9mm gun was recovered at the scene.

McDonnell said Friday morning that the wounded loss-prevention officer remains hospitalized, but in a message to the officer's family, the chief said, "I hope that today's announcement brings at least some measure of comfort that this suspect is not ... out there and posing a threat."

Hochman insisted that he wants the prosecution of Metoyer to send a message that prosecutors want to crack down on violent crime.

"If you engage in shoplifting and that shoplifting escalates to violent acts, you will be held accountable," Hochman said. "That justice will be delivered swiftly, it will be delivered decisively, and ... we will work with its law enforcement partners to bring these individuals to justice. I want to send a strong message to the criminals that if you think you're going to get away with it, you won't. And I also want to send a message to shoppers. We are going to protect people who want to come and engage in shopping at a downtown mall or any mall in this county."

Anyone with information about the suspect or the shooting was asked to contact LAPD Detective Alvarez at (213) 833-3750.

City News Service contributed to this report.