Grocer Shot in Robbery; 1 Arrested
A Hawthorne grocer was shot in the face Thursday when a frequent customer allegedly tried to rob the store, police said.
The customer entered the Freeman Market at Freeman Avenue and 118th Street about 10 a.m. and tried to disguise himself by covering his mouth with a rag, Sgt. Paul Moreau said. He pointed a gun at 54-year-old Song Song and demanded money. Song thought the man was kidding and didn’t respond; the robber shot him in the mouth, took $100 from the cash register and fled on foot.
Song was taken to Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center where he was scheduled for surgery late Thursday.
Police have arrested Hawthorne transient Ector Gonzales, 20, who was booked at Hawthorne jail on suspicion of attempted murder and robbery.
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