Man run over, killed by suspected shoplifters outside his family's store in South El Monte

SOUTH EL MONTE, Calif. (KABC) -- A store employee was run over and killed by a suspected shoplifter in South El Monte Wednesday after he tried to stop the robbery, authorities said.

The fatal incident happened outside Giant Discount Store located at 2039 Durfee Avenue, which the victim's brother owns, at around 12:18 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The victim, who was identified by family members as Steve Yaghoubi, often helped his brother Jim Yaghoubi at the store.

The suspect reportedly asked the victim for a box of masks worth $10 and then walked out without paying.

Steve and Jim followed the suspect into the parking lot and a physical altercation took place, the LASD said.

"Doors open, two other guys exit the car, and one of them punches my brother in the head, he holds his head and he goes down," said Jim.

The three men then got back into the car and ran over Steve, first as they backed out of the parking space and again as they sped off.

"The body under the car was turning, all the way from the front tire to the back tire," said Jim, who watched his brother's life be taken away.

"I don't know why this happened. Honestly. I was there at the last minute of his life. I saw his face. I saw his eyes," Jim added.

Steve was pronounced dead at the scene.

No description of the three suspects was immediately available but the store's owner said they got away in a 4-door light blue Honda.

"It's a senseless act of violence, especially for such a minor item, for someone to lose their life it's very senseless," said Lieutenant Michael Modica with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Word of Steve's death traveled fast in the community in which he was beloved by so many.

"A lump in my throat man. He always prays for me, always tells me 'God bless you, I love you.' A real nice guy," said Henry Bernal.

Steve's brother, John Yaghoubi shared the same sentiment.

"If somebody asked to give him something he would give it to them, but he didn't like people stealing," said the victim's brother John Yaghoubi.

This isn't the first time the Yaghoubi family lost a member to violence in Southern California.

John told Eyewitness News he came over from Iran 45 years ago and one by one brought his six brothers and one sister over to America.

One of those brothers was killed almost four years ago in an unprovoked attack outside his Anaheim home. Rahmatolah "Davey" Yaghoubi was gardening when he was fatally beaten by a deranged white supremacist.

John said their mother has not been able to get over losing Davey, and now this.

"I'm afraid to tell her. I don't know what to tell her. I was with her all night last night and her eyes were puffy from crying for the first one," John said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.