Police Kill Man at Site of Guard’s Slaying

Los Angeles police officers fatally shot a man in the parking lot of Victory Plaza on Friday, the same San Fernando Valley shopping center where a Brinks armored car guard was killed and a second was wounded Monday by robbers.

Officers said the man had shouted that he had a gun and reached into his clothing as if to produce one, but no weapon was found.

The unidentified man died at a hospital.

The shooting occurred about 200 feet from the Albertsons Supermarket in Valley Glen where two masked gunmen fired on Brinks guards Monday evening. The guards were making a delivery to the Bank of America branch inside the market.

They robbers and their getaway driver remain at large.

At 2:50 p.m. Friday, police tried to pull the man over in the crowded parking lot for a traffic violation. He shouted that they “would have to shoot” him, said Lt. Horace Frank, a Police Department spokesman. Police called for backup, Frank said, but the man got out and began yelling that he had a gun.

As he reached under his shirt, at least two officers fired, police said.

Jack Zeytonian, who owns Sunrise Jewelers at Victory Plaza, was in his store during the shooting and said he heard five to seven gunshots.

“I heard a small-caliber pop-pop-pop,” said Zeytonian. Zeytonian’s 44-year-old brother, Karo, was shot to death in December by a robbers at his Northridge jewelry store.

“Nothing is getting better and it seems it’s getting worse and worse,” said Zeytonian, 38.

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Times staff writer Roberto J. Manzano contributed to this story.