Customer Is Shot to Death at West L.A. Burger Stand
A 31-year-old customer was shot in the head and stripped of his gold jewelry as he waited for his order at a West Los Angeles Fatburger restaurant.
Police said two men struck up a conversation with Tony Thompson about 2:40 a.m., shot him once with a large-caliber handgun and made off with his gold bracelet and watch.
The two men had come into the restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard near San Vincente Boulevard in a group of about 15 people. Police said they were unsure if the two suspects knew the other people. Police speculated that the group may have consisted of several smaller groups that entered the restaurant after area nightclubs and bars closed.
A witness said he saw the gunman raise a large handgun to the victim’s head. The witness then ducked behind a counter and heard the gunfire.
Thompson lived with his wife near the restaurant, open 24 hours a day just south of the Beverly Center, and was a regular customer, police said.
The restaurant had nighttime security until it was eliminated last year as a cost-saving measure, said a manager who refused to give his name.
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