Store Manager Shot to Death in Anaheim

A liquor store manager in Anaheim was fatally shot Tuesday in front of employees and customers during an argument with another man.

Michael Brown, 32, of Fullerton was shot about 12:25 p.m. at Orangewood Liquor, on Orangewood Avenue near Haster Street.

“The motive appears to be some dispute,” Sgt. Joe Vargas said. Robbery, he said, was not a motive.

Brown died at 1:13 p.m. at UCI Medical Center in Orange.

The killer fled in a white Honda CRX with license plate number 3LAL931.

Vargas said police don’t know whether the two men knew each other or what the argument was about.

A number of employees and customers were inside the store and others were in the parking lot when the shooting occurred, Vargas said.

Customers described Brown as friendly and kind, with a keen sense of humor. He worked the day shift at the store, owned by his in-laws, Tai and Hyun Park, also of Fullerton. Brown and his wife, Sandy, have two children.

The Parks have owned the store, in a small strip mall, for 14 years and have never had a crime problem, Tai Park said. Crime in the apartment neighborhood has dropped dramatically in recent years, Vargas said.

Park said Brown “didn’t have any enemies.”

Nancy Haro, 47, who lives in the area and frequents the store to cash her paychecks and buy groceries, said she “was just shocked to hear it was Michael. He was a great guy. He was real friendly with everybody. He was good to the kids and good to the adults. . . . I’m really saddened.”

Haro and her daughter, Jessica, 8, were among several people who brought flowers to the store after the shooting. Aileen Ramirez, 40, and her 9-year-old daughter also left a bouquet with a card that read: “Mike, you will be missed.”

“We took them to show the family that the neighborhood does care,” said Ramirez, who has lived nearby for 10 years.

Residents recalled that Brown gave candy to neighborhood children on Halloween and was diligent about never selling liquor to minors.

“He was definitely important to the neighborhood, because he knew everybody,” Ramirez said. “He’d call us by our first names.”