Man Slain Trying to Stop Robbery of His Friend
A 22-year-old man who rushed to the aid of a friend being held up by four gunmen at a coin laundry in Southwest Los Angeles was shot and killed in the confrontation, police said Wednesday.
Los Angeles Police Detective Richard Hoffman said the dead man, whose name was being withheld until relatives could be notified, had accompanied his friend, Hipolito Prieto, 28, to the laundry at Vermont and 6th avenues Tuesday night. They were washing clothes when Prieto went to a nearby liquor store around 7:45 p.m. to get two quarters.
As Prieto was walking back to the laundry, four young men confronted him and demanded money, Hoffman said.
“The friend inside the Laundromat saw what was going on, and came out and confronted the men and was shot” by one of the gunmen, Hoffman said. Prieto was not hurt, and the four men fled, police said.
The wounded man died about 45 minutes later at Daniel Freeman Hospital in Inglewood, officials said.
Detectives said it was not clear whether any money was taken during the incident.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
