4 Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Restaurant Manager

Four people--including a 16-year-old girl--were arrested Friday in the shooting of a Denny’s restaurant manager killed in an early-morning holdup when one of the robbers, in his own words, “flipped out,” Los Angeles police said.

In a series of raids, police arrested Samuel Martinez, 18, of Reseda, Ruben Lopez, 20, of Canoga Park, Grizelda Salazar, 18, also of Canoga Park, and a 16-year-old Reseda girl whose name was not released because of her age.

“We swooped down on them with quite a bit of resources, and I think we basically got the drop on them,” LAPD Det. Rick Swanston said.

The killing occurred early Feb. 3 at the Denny’s in the 7600 block of Reseda Boulevard. Swanston said the two men, both known gang members, and their girlfriends drove to the 24-hour restaurant, planning to rob it.

Lopez entered and at gunpoint ordered manager Cyrus Salehi, a 38-year-old newlywed, to open the cash register, Swanston said.

Swanston said Lopez recounted the shooting in detail to detectives Friday: “He shows him the gun. The guy opens the cash register . . . and he still shoots him.”

“ ‘I flipped out,’ he said.”

“ ‘You flipped out, what exactly does that mean?’ I ask.”

“I don’t know,” Swanston quoted Lopez as replying.

Salehi died two hours later from a gunshot wound to the chest.

After shooting Salehi, Lopez grabbed about $400 from the register and fled to his friends’ car, Swanston said. Lopez told his friends about the killing, then the two men split the cash and went home with their girlfriends, the detective said.

The next day, Swanston said, Lopez went to a friend’s house to hide out, and he was arrested there Friday. Police at Martinez’s home recovered the .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol believed to have been used in the shooting, Swanston said.

The two men were being held Friday at the West Valley station, and Salazar was being held at Van Nuys Women’s Jail. The 16-year-old was at Sylmar juvenile hall. All were held without bail, Swanston said.