Criminal Lawyer Fatally Shot at Office

An attorney was shot to death Monday in the waiting room of his Mid-Wilshire offices, Los Angeles police said.

Because no receptionist was on duty, lawyer Nathan Richardson, 34, went to the waiting room shortly after noon to meet a man who had come to the 17th floor office in an building at 5455 Wilshire Blvd., Wilshire Division Detective Dan Andrews said.

The man pulled a handgun and fired a single shot and fled, Andrews said. Workers in nearby offices rushed to the attorney’s aid and called police.

Richardson, described by police as a criminal defense attorney, was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he died during surgery, the detective said.

Investigators have not determined a motive for the shooting, and the killer remains at large, police said.

The gunman was described by police as black, 25 to 35 years old and 5-feet 11-inches tall. He had a thin build, a medium complexion, short hair and a light mustache. The gunman was wearing a red baseball cap, sunglasses and a red-and-white jacket.

Andrews said the killing did not appear to be a random attack.

“He (the gunman) knew what he was doing. He went to that specific location and he carried it out,” the detective said.