2 More Suspects Arrested in Alleged Extortion Attempt

GLENDALE —  Two more suspects in the alleged extortion attempt of a local merchant that culminated in a deadly shootout were arrested and a warrant was issued for another suspect, police said Thursday.

The two men arrested--Hovhanes Pakvoryan, 23, and Karen Pakvoryan, 22, of Van Nuys, whose relationship was unavailable from police--turned themselves in to investigators last Friday, raising the number of suspects in custody to six, said Glendale Police Sgt. Rick Young, a police spokesman.

An arrest warrant was issued for a seventh suspect, identified by police only as Samvel Krboyan, 42, of Van Nuys.

Authorities said the latest suspects, like the four men already charged in the case and awaiting arraignment Jan. 9, face murder charges. All six suspects in custody are being held without bail.

The shootout late Dec. 17 at the Mirage Clothing & Shoes store on Glendale Avenue resulted in the death of one alleged assailant, Artur Atayan, 27, of North Hollywood, and a 19-year-old bystander, Edmon Tokatlyan, 19, of Glendale. Another teenager, the merchant’s nephew, was shot but his injury was not life-threatening.

Young said the case, which again raised concerns about extortion in the Russian and Armenian communities, remains under investigation.

“We’re still putting the puzzle pieces together,” he said.

Federal and local authorities are investigating patterns of extortion in the Russian and Armenian communities throughout the region with particular interest in clothing outlet stores.

The four suspects arrested immediately after the Glendale shooting are Gagik Kazarian, 42, of Glendale; Khoren Broutian, 32, of Hollywood; Hovik Fiterz, 36, and Mger Tagvoryan, 23, both of North Hollywood.

Besides murder charges, the defendants face charges of attempted murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.

Police said that at about 11:30 p.m. Dec. 17, the suspects allegedly assaulted the merchant’s brother and began firing guns. The merchant, police said, apparently grabbed his own gun and started shooting back in self-defense.