Suspect in Fatal Shooting at Pet Store Sought

Police searched Wednesday for a gunman who burst into a Burbank pet store and fatally shot the 27-year-old owner in what was described as an execution-style hit, authorities said.

The dead man, identified as Sarkis Antonyan of Glendale, was the owner of Pets R Us, 409 N. Victory Blvd. He was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday night after he was shot several times in the upper body, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s spokesman Scott Carrier.

Burbank Police Lt. Don Brown said despite initial reports of a robbery, investigators believed Antonyan was the intended target because no money was taken and contents of the store, including fish and birds, were left untouched.

“It looks like the person who went in there went in specifically after the victim,” Brown said. “That was his target.”

Grief-stricken family members refused comment. But the victim’s cousin, whose name was withheld to protect his safety, was in the back of the business and thought the store was having electrical problems when he heard popping sounds coming from the front, Brown said. The cousin told authorities he went to investigate and found Antonyan’s body slumped over the counter.

Investigators could not pinpoint a motive but said the victim was involved in a civil court case and had been threatened, Brown said. He declined to identify the source of those threats.

“We do know there was a civil action pending over some kind of business venture,” Brown said. “There was bad blood. Some threats were made. We are trying to follow up on that.”

Police received numerous tips, including a report that FBI agents had visited the business, Brown said. It was not known how many times the agents had been there, he said.

An FBI spokeswoman refused to comment on whether the pet store or the owner had been under investigation.