PALMDALE – Detectives have identified and arrested a second suspect in connection to an armed robbery at a Palmdale convenience store last week.
Asian Leeshoun Thomas was taken into custody Thursday during a raid in Palmdale.
The 20-year-old is one of two men who robbed Emily’s Store, at 412 East Palmdale Blvd, sheriff’s officials said.
Around 11:45 a.m., on Thursday, June 28, the men entered the store, stuck a gun in the clerk’s chest, ordered her to open the register, and then stole the money, according to Palmdale Station Lieutenant Cory Kennedy.
The thieves were caught on the store’s surveillance camera, and the images were released to the media the same day. The next day, detectives identified 20-year-old Larry Kirkwood as one of the suspects and released a previous booking photo of Kirkwood to the media.
“We identified Mr. Kirkwood but we didn’t identify the second suspect until a couple of days ago,” Kennedy said, adding that Thomas was identified “based on the video and some other information.”
Armed with multiple search warrants Thursday afternoon (July 5), The Partners Against Crime Unit and the Operation Safe Streets Gang Unit conducted a joint operation that targeted several Palmdale locations.
“During one of those locations, Asian Thomas was detained,” Kennedy said. “Our warrant was specifically for Asian Thomas and any evidence associated with the robbery.”
He said Thomas was detained in the 38500 Block of Larkin Avenue.
“We also recovered a gun that we believe was most likely used in the robbery,” Kennedy added.
He said detectives believe Thomas may be linked to other robberies in the area.
“We are looking at a few different robberies, but we have not confirmed that he is our suspect. We are still in the investigative stage,” Kennedy said. “He’s not being real cooperative so we don’t have any more leads on Kirkwood yet.”
Anyone with information on Larry Kirkwood is asked to contact Detective Bartlett at 661-272-2446.
Individuals can also provide information anonymously through “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
Asian Leeshoun Thomas was arrested at 10 a.m. Thursday for robbery and multiple related charges and jailed on $100,000 bail. He is due in court on July 9.
[A previous version of this article gave an incorrect court date. Thank you T-Bone for calling our attention to this error.]
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ryenisha jackson says
he is just a miss understood man. hahahahha NOT!! its blamed on the black race because thats all you see terrorising palmton.. I bet if his parents would have taught him wrong from right then he know the difference but I guess not
Da [removed] says
Really im ashamed at these young black men they all want to live thug lyfe how about all u dumb fxxxcks go to iraq and let the ones fighting for u come home none of these criminals cant do what these solders do keep it up blacks u aint doing nothing but making us all look bad
really says
You should not be ashamed, just because they are black doesnt mean their actions should be attributed to all blacks. This is where people misunderstand me; Blacks should not be held in ridicule for the actions of the bad of the race, blacks ( as well as others) should be held accountable for not being honest about the issues facing their community and the overall unwillingness to address these issues.
Letlow says
Well shoot… the first part of the comment is what I’ve been hollering all along!!!!
I must admit though, I don’t know if I am willing or unwilling to address the issues facing the black community. Perhaps it’s because I don’t really see them as black issues, I see them as broader issues of poverty, undereducation (if that’s a word), unemployment, etc. — all those things that are breeding grounds for criminal behavior in any race.
I have NO IDEA how to address them. That’s probably why I am not in politics. All I can do is make sure I don’t contribute to the problem. I can do this by raising my kids right, paying my taxes on time, watching my neighbor’s house, reporting suspicious behavior, etc.
Beyond that, I just don’t know!
really says
Your right the issues affect society as a whole and are present in all races. I like to read and after years of reading I have come to the conclusion that the expansion of welfare and entitlements is ruining our society. And nowhere is the case more clearly illustrated than the black community. I feel social programs can have value but what they have become is disguisting. It saddens me to see a race of people being destroyed while we all stand by and watch. All the while politicians keep saying they are doing things to help when in reality everything they are doing worsens the destruction.
Long ago Alexis de Tocqueville made a very astute observation
“But one also finds in the human heart a depraved taste for equality, which impels the weak to want to bring the strong down to their level, and which reduces men to preferring equality in servitude to inequality in freedom”.
sacryinshame says
By expanding the social services provided to the community, people are taking advantage of the system because there are no checks and balances,no one is checking and balancing the programs to see if they are run properly or is someone just steeling the money?
The Ugly Truth says
The “poverty” and “undereducation” don’t lead to crime in places like West Virginia, do they?
really says
Not sure what your getting at…
Alex says
It’s a cultural problem. Blaming poverty and poor education is an excuse.
Yes, you can say there is a correlation between poverty and poor education with crime, but you can do that same exact correlation with regards to sub cultures and their idols.
I don’t blame a skin tone, but I do blame cultures/subcultures.
Aggressive behavior is also a genetic trait which seems to be sponsored and adored in many subcultures of America.
T-Bone says
I’m sure he will still be in Jail next May 9th but that must be a Typo on the day he is due in court?!
Nice Work LASD! I’m sure suspect #2 will be locked up soon!
T-Bone says
Thanks for correcting it!
Missy says
I suppose he is innocent too? and was no where near the place..that story sure gets old.. way to go to the sheriffs dept…
Letlow says
You do realize this is a DIFFERENT case with nothing in common except that both men are Black, don’t you??
Are you a white woman?
If so, then I guess you drive your kids into a lake and then blame it on a black man don’t you??? No? Maybe you kill your baby and then stuff her remains in a trash bag and throw it in a swamp? Still no? Why, because not all white people are alike right?
Okay, you see how that works racist little Missy?!?!?!
Alex says
MURDER
White:4,382 = 1.77 per 100k.
Black:4,498 = 11.83 per 100k.
Blacks commit murder at a rate 6.68 times that of Whites.
RAPE
White:10,990 = 4.45 per 100k.
Black:5,428 = 1,428 per 100k.
Blacks commit rape at a rate 3.21 times that of Whites.
ROBBERY
White:41,962 = 17 per 100k.
Black:56,948 = 150 per 100k.
Blacks commit robbery at a rate 9 times that of Whites.
AGG. ASSUALT
White:208,081 = 84 per 100k.
Black:112,325 = 295 per 100k.
Blacks commit agg. assualt at a rate 3.5 times that of Whites.
BURGLARY
White:157,252 = 64 per 100k.
Black:73,960 = 195 per 100k.
Blacks commit burglary at a rate 3 times that of Whites.
LARCENY-THEFT
White:663,360 = 269 per 100k.
Black:286,844 = 755 per 100k.
Blacks commit larceny at a rate 2.8 times that of Whites.
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
White:44,674 =18 per 100k.
Black:28,510 = 75 per 100k.
Blacks commit motor vehicle theft at a rate 4 times that of Whites.
OVERALL VIOLENT CRIME
White:265,754 = 107 per 100k.
Black:179,636 =473 per 100k.
John Doe says
Alex if your numbers are accurate and from a legitimate site, then the discussion on this post should end here. The numbers aren’t racial, they are just the truth.
Letlow says
No one is disputing the fact that SOME blacks commit crime, or that they commit crime at a higher rate than whites. I would like to see ALL criminals put away, the blacks ones AND the white ones. I’m sure you would too.
Should these numbers cause law enforcement to treat ALL blacks differently when they SUSPECT them of a crime? Should these numbers cause law enforcement to take away presumed innocence from ALL blacks?
If the answer is yes, WHY? If the answer is no, then what is the relevance of the numbers?
All I’m saying is that NOT ALL black people commit crime because NOT ALL black people are alike!
Why is no one getting this?????
B says
Part of the problem in this valley, these days, is we all keep getting side tracked into playing the blame game….
Instead of asking ourselves why is this happening, and what can we do about it?
really says
What is your opinion about why this is happening?
sikntired says
Attaboys to LASD.
Topflight417 says
Nice…..
J. Ripper says
Looks Black, not Asian, to me.
sacryinshame says
Yes, but, his Mom couldn’t name him Black Leeshoun Thomas.
FUNNY says
Great one more back in there cage