Armored Car Guard Kills Would-Be Thief

A 19-year-old gunman dressed in black shoved a pistol into the chest of an armored car guard making a delivery Tuesday morning in Venice, but he was shot to death before he could make off with a bag of cash, police said.

Lawrence Ray Hubbard of Venice was shot when he pointed a .357 Magnum pistol at a guard for Armored Transport Inc. and demanded the money, according to police. Hubbard was taken to Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital, where he died of a single gunshot wound.

The black-and-white armored car pulled up in front of the Safeway market at 225 Lincoln Blvd. about 10 a.m. to make a standard delivery, according to Lt. Don Beasley of the Los Angeles Police Department.

‘This Is a Robbery’

Guard Kenneth Rios, 27, opened the side door of the armored car, his pistol in one hand and money in the other, and was stopped by Hubbard, who lived within walking distance of the store, police said.

Hubbard pointed his gun at Rios’ chest and reportedly said, “Freeze, this is a robbery.” Rios fired three shots. A single bullet ripped into Hubbard’s side and entered his heart, a hospital spokesman said.

Hubbard did not fire a shot.

Michael Shea said he was panhandling for gas money in front of the market when the incident occurred.

‘Just Like on TV’

“He just walked up to the truck and put a gun to the man’s (Rios’) chest,” Shea said. “It was just like on TV.”

Shea said he was standing six feet away and threw his hands in the air to show that he was not involved in the robbery attempt.

The market is in an impoverished minority neighborhood in Venice. There were relatively few shoppers in the area when the incident occurred, police said.

Police and a spokesman for Armored Transport Inc. declined to say how much money Rios was carrying.