Suspected Drug Trafficker Shot by Police in Eatery

Police shot a suspected drug trafficker Tuesday in a confrontation at a Mexican seafood restaurant in a strip shopping mall.

The name of the suspect, who was in critical condition late Tuesday, was not released and police did not say how many other suspects were involved in the confrontation. However, police said a kilo of Mexican tar heroin with a street value of $500,000 was recovered in the incident.

After maintaining surveillance on the Mi Pueblo restaurant in the 12500 block of Vanowen Street for 48 hours, undercover narcotics investigators entered about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Jason Lee.

“They were confronted by a suspect inside, and when that occurred, officers shot one of the suspects,” Lee said. No one else was injured.

Police declined to say how many officers--members of a metropolitan narcotics investigation team--participated in the confrontation. Several people at the restaurant were led away in handcuffs, but police would not say how many of them were suspects.

A couple using a coin laundry two doors from the restaurant said they dove for cover when the shooting began. “I hid underneath a washing machine after I heard three or four shots and yelled to my husband, ‘What is happening?’ ” said Susana Garcia of North Hollywood.

Her husband, Jose Garcia, said he grabbed one of their children from outside and ran back into the laundry. “I was fearful for my family when I heard all the shots,” he said.

The shooting victim was taken to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills where he underwent several hours of surgery for injuries to the torso, said hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Bruce.

Several nearby merchants locked their doors after the shooting and refused to discuss details of the incident.