Robbery suspect shot man in downtown L.A. days before wounding Target guards, authorities say
A man who police say opened fire on two security guards who confronted him at a downtown Los Angeles Target store will face multiple counts of attempted murder and robbery, officials said Friday.
Standing outside the Figat7th shopping complex where the Dec. 30 shooting happened, L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said Jabril Metoyer was also linked to another shooting on the same street three days earlier.
“This kind of brazen thievery and violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Los Angeles County,” Hochman said.
Police previously said Metoyer began shooting wildly after he was confronted by a loss prevention officer and an armed guard who accused him of stuffing more than $1,000 worth of merchandise into a briefcase inside the Target, located inside the bustling shopping center near the 7th & Metro Center train station. One of the guards returned fire, and at least 10 rounds were spent during the exchange.
The LAPD recorded an uptick in robberies in some areas, which records obtained by The Times show was caused by shoplifting incidents that resulted in felony charges. Officials say some retailers are asking security guards to be more confrontational with thieves.
Hochman said Friday the loss prevention officer remained hospitalized. He had previously been listed in critical condition on Tuesday. The armed security guard was treated and released from the hospital Tuesday morning.
Metoyer entered a not-guilty plea during a short hearing in a downtown L.A. courtroom on Friday morning, according to Natalin Daldalian, a spokeswoman for the public defender’s office.
“We ask the public to respect the presumption of innocence and to refrain from speculation as we work to gather all relevant facts,” his attorney, Carlos Bido, said in a statement.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said investigators were able to identify the suspect after his photo circulated in the media. Metoyer was arrested on New Year’s Eve after an hours-long standoff at a residential building in the 1200 block of West Ingraham Street, according to McDonnell.
McDonnell said his officers evacuated the building where Metoyer had barricaded himself, then spent hours trying to coax him out. Eventually, officers deployed tear gas into his room, flushing him out and arresting him. A handgun was recovered at the scene, the chief said.
Three days before the Target confrontation, Hochman said, Metoyer shot a man near the intersection of 7th and Figueroa streets. Authorities said the victim had refused to give Metoyer money, but did not clarify whether it was an attempted robbery or if he was panhandling. A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a question about the Dec. 27 shooting.
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said he intends to terminate the services of Lawrence Middleton, the special prosecutor his predecessor hired to investigate past police shootings.
Metoyer’s last known address was the Ingraham Hotel, according to Hochman, who said he did not believe Metoyer had a criminal record prior to the recent shootings.
Hochman said Metoyer faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of all charges. He noted the defendant will face a stiffer sentencing enhancement, for the use of a gun, than he would have under the administration of his predecessor, former district attorney George Gascón.
“We want to send a very strong message to anyone who thinks they can use a gun in connection with a violent crime, as this has turned out to be, they will deal with a potential maximum consequence,” he said.
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