The Antelope Valley Times

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Robbery suspect shot by security guard in Palmdale

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The suspect was arrested at a nearby apartment complex after an attempted robbery at a Vallarta Supermarket in Palmdale. [Photo by LUIS MEZA]
The suspect was arrested at a nearby apartment complex after an attempted robbery at a Vallarta Supermarket in Palmdale. [Photo by LUIS MEZA]
PALMDALE – A robbery suspect was hospitalized after being shot Wednesday night by a supermarket security guard in Palmdale who attempted to take him into custody.

The robbery was initially reported as a petty theft around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Vallarta Supermarket at 440 E. Palmdale Blvd., according to Lt. Brian Dunn of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Palmdale Station.

The suspect was taken to the hospital for his injuries. [LUIS MEZA]
The suspect was taken to the hospital for his injuries. [LUIS MEZA]
Dunn said he did not immediately know what the man had attempted to steal but once he was approached by the store’s armed security guard, the suspect pulled a knife on the guard and the incident became an armed robbery.

The security guard pulled out his gun and the suspect refused to back down, according to Dunn, prompting the guard to fire a couple of shots at the suspect, striking him in a leg.

The suspect fled the scene on foot and deputies set up a containment in that area before taking the suspect into custody shortly after, Dunn said.

The suspect was taken to the hospital for his injuries, Dunn added. His name was not immediately released.

No one else was hurt in the altercation, according to Dunn.

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50 comments for "Robbery suspect shot by security guard in Palmdale"

  1. Close varlartta ! Smith’s is better prices better food. There owed by Kroger . They are a mix of food r4 less and Ralph’s .sorry varlartta you suck ,Kroger rocks.if you work for superior or el super or northg ate Gonzales.try Kroger you can actually build a career. Try Kroger.com
    The victim is security and the thief and the town.
    We need to come together and build are community socially and economic development.
    Say no to varlartta and Walmart.the town was great with out these companies before and we can be great again.

  2. THIS ARTICLE IS FALSE THERE WAS NO ROBBERY, KNIFE AND NOT EVEN A THEFT OF ANY KIND JUST A TRIGGER HAPPY SECURITY GUARD SCARED BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS A FEW TATTOOS THE SHOOTEE SECURITY NEEDS TO BE THE ONE IN JAIL

    • Yeah, so this guy shot him SIMPLY because he is trigger happy? So why did the suspect run? Let me guess, because he was chasing after the over thrown softball because he was playing catch with his son. LOL please. If your trigger happy, you go to range – you don’t shoot random, innocent, mentally disturbed (that was what was said in other comments, right? Haha) patrons.

  3. Great photo of the suspect… Or victim of his own crime. I bet he’ll get rich from a lawsuit. Criminals get to sue if they get hurt on your property. What a wonderful world we live in. Great job suspect/ victim now you’ll be rich. I wonder who will represent you….

    • Not any more Karen. The law changed some time ago, and they can’t collect for injuries sustained while committing a crime. Neither from the store or from the guard. They can hire an attorney and file, but they won’t win.

      An attorney with no education will take the case and tell them fantasies about getting big bucks, but it’s not true.

    • Maybe if this victim is not legal he will get a U-Visa case that will help him to get his legal status.

  4. If anyone read this rite…The security guard suspected he was stealing. .there was no proof… so shame on Vallarta make sure someone is stealing something and have possession of it… how embarrassing. ..

    • “Make sure he is stealing something”? The article states that the security guard made contact with the suspect, which would classify as checking to see if he stole something. Just in making contact, the suspect pulled a knife.

      It doesn’t matter at that point if he stole something or not, he pulled a knife on the security guard and was met with a loaded firearm.

  5. I work armed security n the way we train is one in head two in the chest. Know this guy took a knife out knowing the guard had gun. Not smart move. I would have just taken off. Know we trained to stop danger not kill. But shooting the lef is not the right move as the leg is harder to hit n u could mis n ur bullet has a stopping point where u can hit someone behind the subject ur aiming at. Have had to pull weapon once on someone that pulled gun but never pointed it at me. Sure I could have shoot him but I didn’t unless he pointed it at me than hole new story.. Bottom line guard did what he had to n that’s ti stop the threat..

  6. I Guess this security guard got his rage of using his gun out of the way!!
    Because everytime my husband and cousin would walk into Vallarta he would fallow them around holding his gun… Like chill out they’re just buying beer!

    • got his rage of using his gun out of the way? by what? doing his job? i cant speak to your experience with this gentleman (and how do you even know its the same one? i’m sure that Vallarta employ’s more than one guard), but we argent speaking on your experience. the guard did his job and the perp got what he deserved. Hopefully he will get what he deserves in a court room as well. end of story.

  7. Way to go Vallarta security!! He should have shot center mass and saved the tax payers some money, but this will do.

  8. You want to be stupid Roamrbert Supermarket in pool at night then you deserve to be shot and killed either way if you’re that stupid then you deserve it

      • Hey you stupid racist ignorant idiot, this is my little brother who we have tried to get help he has mental issues and he is as AMERICAN as you or I and even if he wasn’t have some respect and decency for the human race. I am grateful they did not kill him and we are very sorry for any problems he has caused but you have no idea what this young man has been through and nor do you care. Pretend just for a second you had a family member that was mentally ill and you tried to help him to no avail and then you have to go on the Internet to read this racist garbage. This is so shameful. Our country is a country OF immigrants and unless you are Native American you are of immigrants yourself so get off your racist high horse. My brother needs help and I wish this had never happened but the idea you people on here are encouraging them to kill people because someone steals something from a store or tell them to “go back to their country,” he is in his own country idiot. The hard working undocumented people in our country are very unlikely to commit crimes it’s a much higher rate of American born citizens committing crimes no matter what lies Trump wants you to believe … Facts are facts.
        Have some respect and consider yourself part of a flawed human race. Regardless of my brothers mistakes you are no Better and no worse you are a racist that is your “imperfection.” We are imperfect human beings and you are NO BETTER than anyone else.

    • I guess you have nothing to do what undocumented people has todo with this article I guess you’re more ignorant racist man or whatever you are dumb

      • Haven’t you been listening to Dingbat Donny? Undocumented people are the cause of ALL problems, everywhere.

        • And you are from??? Don’t include innocent people with your racist comments wich they served your food in your table I don’t think that you’ll be able to work on the fields I bet you you’ll be dying within an hour under the summer sun dumb man

        • Liberal voodoo, he never said that.but illegals do cost about 113 billion dollars a year to tax payers, while only contributing about 10 billion in taxes.
          In california, illegalls are 10 percent of the workforce.seems like alot of job opportunities for legal citizens. Less then 2 percent are picking crops.
          Over 30 percent are on welfare.30 percent of illegals are in prison.
          Over 75 percent of births in los angeles county are to illegals on medi cal.
          Maybe “dinbat donnie”is right when he wants to kick out the illegal criminals and make the others process the correct and legal way.
          Less criminals, more tax money, less welfare, less prison crowding, more jobs.
          Whats wrong with that?

    • i feel you but this security guard did the right thing with everything going on in the world all these killings its good to see it done right

  12. According to Tim Scott, everybody at the store should have disregarded what they had seen, the security guard should have disregarded the knife and everybody should have assumed this knife wielding criminal was innocent until proven guilty and nobody should have taken any action.

    Just because this criminal stole something and then pulled a knife doesn’t make him “armed” or “robbery”. His running away with a gunshot wound proves nothing.

    • If you’re so insecure you have to mark your posts as “according to Tim Scott” just to think they will get any attention, perhaps you should just not post.

      • Tim, with your attitude of even “putting spiders outside” is why this country is having so many issues today. A man is hired to do a job and protect the employees, inventory, etc. of this store. Don’t over think the situation.

        • How much “inventory” would it take to get you to kill someone Mike? Taking it seriously doesn’t mean I’m unwilling, just that I don’t sign on to do it over trivial nonsense like a bag of chips.

          • What is wrong with you people he is a young man in despair obviously not well . It is very disturbing to see how many ppl support this vile behavior from a security guard . How do we know it was a pocket knife or if it is even true that he had a knife in his pocket . What makes him ilegal in this country ? The color of his skin ? And what if he was undocumented? Just remember you bunch of obvious racists that this could be a member of any of your family .
            The security guard should’ve de escalated the situation it is never okay to shoot anyone. This victim that was allegedly stealing from the store , who allegedly had a knife he was trying to get a way . The security guard is dangerous he should’ve called the police and had him arrested. There was cameras i am sure . This victim is obviously a person who has a lot of mental problems going on to have allegedly responded this way .I would be afraid to go into Vallarta Market what if this VIOLENT SECURITY GUARD HAPPENS TO SAY HE SAW ME PUT SOMETHING IN MY POCKET and decides to shoot me ? His job is not to shoot an alleged fleeing shoplifter.
            He should be fired ! The store should be sued.

          • Myrna – How is it obvious that he was in despair? because he is a criminal? THAT is the only thing obvious here. vile behavior? what? by doing his job? and no, it could not be a member of my family, because my family doesn’t steal, pull and pull knives out on people. How do you know that the guard didn’t try to de escalate the situation? usually thieves that are confronted by authority are not really the most approachable folks. you speak about the “victim”.. how is this man a victim? he was the one that made one poor choice after another. would it have been okay if it would have been okay if it would have been the cops that would have shot him? because that is exactly what would have happened had they shown up.

          • Oh Myrna, bless your heart! My wife and I were shopping at Whole Foods this weekend and we didn’t see any security guards, let alone armed ones. The reason Villarta has not just security, but ARMED guards is because they know their customer base.

            The security isn’t protecting their employees and patrons from rogue police officers…or racist white people…the security is there because their often illegal, often cholo gangster criminals and bottom feeders steal. They don’t just steal, but when confronted by security they have become violent and pulled weapons. Hence the Villarta owners went from regular security guards to armed security guards.

            As was pointed out, it wouldn’t be my family getting shot by security. We pay for what we want. We don’t break the law. What you call “a young man in despair obviously not well”, that’s what we call a criminal. Being a thief isn’t a mental disorder, it’s a character flaw.

            You put all the blame on the guard but none on the guy here illegally, stealing, getting violent when confronted and then pulling a knife on the guard in front of witnesses. The security guard de-escalated the situation almost perfectly….almost.

    • Because the guy having a knife allows you to get that RUSH that comes from killing a human being without any legal consequences, AmIRite?

      • It’s the law. I’m an armed guard myself and we were taught you NEVER shoot anyone in the leg unless you want to be in a lot of trouble because your gun should only be drawn in a life or death situation and shooting someone in the leg makes it sketchy and seem unjustifiable. Also being shot and surviving is extremely painful. On top of that there is a main artery in the leg that is all too easy to hit and if you do the victim will die a slow, inevitable, and painful death. THAT is why we are trained to shoot how we are.

        • I agree with you Darryl. I just get tired of the cold steel courage crowd that are so obviously slavering to kill someone because they think it would be cool to get away with. Killing a person, under any circumstances, is a horrible experience…or at the least it certainly should be.

          • Does he wait untill he gets stabbed.if so how many times does he have to get stabbed before hes allowed to shoot.

            Did darren wilson have to wait for mike brown to kill him, before he shoots.

            At what point do we say, stop breaking the law, asshole.

          • I agree Tim with what u said but the robber brought the knife out first a read,so my thinking is he will stab me or I shoot he didn’t drop the knife so I would have put 2 rounds him for sure maybe 3 ,this guy might file a lawsuit now??? U never know ??? Tried by 12 jurors or carried by 6 pal bear’s ??

          • I put spiders outside. I think killing should always be approached with the greatest seriousness. Elevate that to people.

            Do you see it differently?

          • George, I already agreed with Darryl. There should have been no “pull the gun and see if he backs down” and there should have been no shooting in the leg when he didn’t. If it comes to it, you pull and shoot, and you shoot to kill.

            But that sad circumstance doesn’t leave an opening for the blood lust relish that many posters bring to this site.

          • Your average let abiding citizen isn’t “slavering” to kill somebody and get away with it. It’s your criminals who get emboldened when getting away it repeatedly.

            Look at areas like Chicago and Detroit with their murder rates and can’t wait to shoot up more neighborhoods with a culture that tolerates it.

          • You….’just get tired’? Who are you to say anything about anything? Stop speaking in ignorance, Tim.

          • We’ve already gone over my qualifications to have an opinion on events vs your qualifications to natter at me for whatever little personal reasons drive you to natter at me. If you disagree, fine. State your opinion on the subject at hand. If you don’t have an opinion, why are you commenting? Just to see if I’ll tell you to go piss up a rope?

  14. Why would you try to rob an establishment with armed security?
    We need to find a way to make our community safe again. How does one get rid of rift raff