D.A. Won’t Try Clerk in Robber’s Killing : Justice system: Liquor store worker who chased armed man for two blocks is deemed justified in shooting him when man suddenly turned with gun.

A liquor store clerk who shot and killed a fleeing armed robber here two weeks ago will not face criminal charges, a county deputy district attorney said Wednesday.

Kim Yong, 32, of Long Beach chased and shot Arturo Vasquez, 26, of Orange on June 1 about 10:30 p.m., two blocks from the Hanshaw Liquor store at 3022 E. Chapman Ave. in Orange.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Lewis Rosenblum said the circumstances of the episode made it apparent that Yong’s action qualified as justifiable homicide.

Rosenblum noted that the clerk was trying to catch an armed man who had just robbed him, had warned Vasquez several times to stop, then shot only after the robber reportedly wheeled around with gun in hand. The bullets hit Vasquez in the side, authorities said.

After Vasquez ran out of the store, officials said, Yong grabbed a 9-millimeter handgun kept near the cash register and set off in pursuit, yelling several times, “Stop or I’ll shoot!”

Yong told authorities he feared Vasquez was going to shoot him when the man turned around, so he fired twice.

The deputy district attorney based his decision on the police report, statements by witnesses and videos of the crime scene and physical evidence.

A lawyer representing Vasquez’s family said they were considering filing a civil lawsuit against Yong, Detective Matt Miller said.

Neither family could be reached for comment Wednesday.

Vasquez’s body was found near Pearl Street, along with a brown paper bag containing the stolen money and a handgun. Police declined to say how much was in the bag except that it was the total amount stolen from the liquor store, which is owned by Yong’s family.