San Fernando Valley : MOVING OUT
Three corpses were too many for Shawn Halimi. Less than a week after the third slaying in the vicinity of his L.A. Tronics store in Fallbrook Mall, Halimi, chief executive of the retail chain, closed the West Hills store for good.
“I said this is it. . . . It’s the last straw,” said Halimi, who said he closed the store even though five years remained on his $20,000-per-month lease. “There is no hope of improving this store. This place will not attract the customers we want.”
Ryan Willis, 23, of Woodland Hills was shot to death in front of the store last Wednesday after a quarrel with an acquaintance over an apparent stolen gun.
In June, Taft High School student Ramtin Shaolian was killed in a drive-by shooting behind the nearby General Cinema Theaters. And in 1993, Oscar William Torres, 29, assistant manager of L.A. Tronics, was killed after he offered a ride to a man who told him his truck had broken down.
Fallbrook Mall officials defended the center as L.A. Tronics began carting out merchandise this week.
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