Man Held in Co-Worker’s Death

A man was in police custody Tuesday on suspicion of fatally shooting a co-worker in the parking lot of a North Hollywood shoe factory, authorities said.

Los Angeles police arrested Sarkis Kouyoumdjian, 44, of North Hollywood, shortly before 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot in the 11400 block of Chandler Boulevard, Detective Mike Coffey said.

The victim, Arutyun Suren Asaryan, 45, of North Hollywood, was discovered Tuesday slumped over the steering wheel of his car, shot four times, Coffey said.

“The business had just closed and they were both going to leave the parking lot when the suspect exited his car and walked up to the victim and shot him,” Coffey said.

Coffey said investigators have not been able to pin down a motive for the killing. Employees at the shoe factory where the men worked said they were unaware of a dispute between the two.

Police seized a gun from Kouyoumdjian that is believed to be the weapon used, Coffey said.