Shop Owner Kills Robbery Suspect

The owner of a small market in Gardena fatally wounded a robbery suspect Monday during a shoot-out inside the store that also left the owner wounded, police said.

Steve Koo, 37, was behind the counter at his convenience store, Steve’s Market, when a man walked in and held him up about 11:30 a.m., Officer Ken Mulroney said.

A gun battle erupted between Koo and the suspect, Mulroney said, but it was not immediately known who initiated the shooting.

The wounded man ran out of the market and collapsed in the parking lot. He died at Gardena Memorial Hospital, Mulroney said.

Koo, who was shot and collapsed inside his store, was in critical condition at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. Hospital officials would release no specific information on his wounds.