Two shot and killed at unlicensed marijuana dispensary in Koreatown
Two people were shot and killed early Monday morning during what police believe might have been a botched robbery inside a Koreatown marijuana dispensary, authorities said.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 400 block of Western Avenue in Koreatown around 4:20 a.m. Monday, according to a statement issued by the Los Angeles Police Department. There, they found a “locked and sealed” marijuana dispensary, according to the statement.
A female employee told police she and several customers were inside the dispensary when they heard gunshots in the waiting room. They fled through the back of the building, and when officers gained entry they found two people who were pronounced dead at the scene.
Josh Rubenstein, the LAPD’s chief spokesman, said investigators were working under the assumption that one of the two dead individuals was taking part in a robbery attempt when the shooting took place. Police did not immediately disclose the identities of the victims, and an email to the coroner’s office seeking comment was not returned Monday.
The dispensary where the shooting took place was unlicensed, said Rubenstein, who declined to name the business. Rubenstein did not say if the dispensary had an armed guard.
Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
UPDATES:
4:25 p.m.: This story was updated with additional information from the LAPD.
This story was first published at 11:10 a.m.
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