Man Shoots Youth After Alleged Cookie Theft

The owner of a Lynwood market shot and critically wounded a 14-year-old boy Saturday morning after a group of teen-agers entered the market and one of them allegedly stole a bag of cookies, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies said.

Michael Kim, owner of Charlie’s Market in the 3300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, told deputies that five boys came into his store just before 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Only three of the boys paid for items while one of the others stole a bag of cookies, Kim told deputies.

Kim followed the group about two blocks in his car, cutting them off at Alma Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard, where he confronted them about the cookies, Deputy Larry Mead said.

The boys denied taking anything from the store. One of them pulled out a knife and asked Kim, “What are you going to do?” said Sgt. Ron Spear of the sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau.

Kim pulled out a gun and told the boy to “freeze,” Spear said. At the same time, another teen-ager reached into his waistband and Kim shot him once, Spear said. Kim drove the wounded boy back to his store and called deputies.

Deputies said Kim has had theft problems in his store. The investigation is not complete and Kim was not arrested, Spear said.

The teen-ager was in critical condition at Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center on Saturday night with a bullet wound in his upper body. Deputies said he lived within blocks of the market.