Hawthorne robbery suspect shoots himself in face after being hit by alleged victim’s car, police say

A man suspected of robbing four people at gunpoint outside a Denny’s restaurant in Hawthorne accidentally shot himself in the face after one of his alleged victims hit him with a car, authorities said.

Hawthorne police responded to a report of a robbery and possible shooting about 3 a.m. Wednesday at a Denny’s in the 13200 block of Hawthorne Boulevard, the Hawthorne Police Department said in a statement.

When officers arrived, they found an unconscious man in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to the face, authorities said.

The man had robbed four occupants of a parked car and was running to a waiting vehicle when one of his robbery victims hit him with the car, police said.

“We believe this impact caused the suspect to accidentally fire his gun, causing his own injuries,” police said in a statement. “It appears that the suspect’s accomplices initially attempted to assist him into their vehicle to escape, but eventually fled the scene without him.”

The man was hospitalized and was in critical condition Wednesday morning. He was not identified. A gun was recovered at the scene, police said.

The man’s alleged accomplices in the robbery are still at large, police said. The four people who were robbed initially left the scene, but three later returned, contacted police and provided statements.

The investigation by Hawthorne police is ongoing.

hailey.branson@latimes.com

Twitter: @haileybranson

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