Fashion Island store sprayed with gunfire

Jasmine Lee

FASHION ISLAND -- Three masked men shot a security guard and then fled

late Tuesday when a foiled robbery attempt at a jewelry store turned into

a fierce gun battle, police said.

At about 7:30 p.m., security guards for Traditional Jewelers, located

near Robinsons-May in the shopping center, spotted the attempted robbers

-- clothed in olive green jackets and black masks -- crouched and headed

for the store, said Lt. Mike Jackson of the Newport Beach Police

Department. The men fired, and the guards shot back through the

plate-glass windows of the jewelry shop’s storefront, he said.

“There were customers in the store and around the store” when the

shootout began, said Sgt. Steve Schulman of the Newport Beach Police

Department.

Twenty to 30 rounds were fired between the security guards and gunmen.

Police say at least two of the gunmen were armed with assault rifles, and

they believe the third was carrying a standard rifle, Schulman said.

The guard was shot once in the chest and may have taken a second

bullet, Jackson said. It was difficult to assess the injuries because the

victim was also cut in several places by the shattered glass.

He was rushed away for treatment, but authorities declined to release

the name of the hospital. He was in serious but stable condition late

Tuesday, Schulman said.

No one else was hurt, and no jewelry was stolen, police said.

A witness told police the gunmen fled in a BMW, Schulman said. There

was indication when the store would reopen, he added.