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California

Jeweler Kills Gunman in His Store

By HECTOR BECERRA
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TIMES STAFF WRITER

The owner of a Beverly Hills jewelry store who shot and killed an intruder Thursday told police the man was holding a gun to his head when he reached for his own and fired repeatedly.

Police responded about 1:30 p.m. to reports of gunshots at Mirage Jewelers on 9469 Little Santa Monica Blvd., said Beverly Hills Police Lt. Gary Gilmond.

Officers entered the store and found the body just inside the entrance and the owner standing behind a counter, police said. Police said the owner told them that the man had drawn a gun from his waistband and led him around the otherwise empty store. At one point, the gunman pointed his weapon at the owner’s head, the jeweler told police. The owner “drew his own handgun” and “fired on the suspect multiple times, striking him on the upper torso,” Gilmond said. Police did not identify either man.

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The result of a police investigation will be submitted to district attorney prosecutors for review.

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Hector Becerra

Hector Becerra is managing editor of the Los Angeles Times. A native Angeleno who grew up in Boyle Heights, Becerra’s first foray into journalism was as the editor of the University Times at Cal State Los Angeles. He started his career at the Los Angeles Times in 1999 and was a general assignment reporter until 2014, covering everything from wildfires to crime to Latino cultural trends. He has been among the first to a murder scene as part of a ride-along in South L.A. and has tried his hand as a field worker, picking strawberries in Santa Maria. Becerra was part of the team of reporters that won the Pulitzer Prize’s Public Service award for its coverage of the city of Bell corruption scandal. He was city editor for the California section until 2022, when he was promoted to deputy managing editor. He was named managing editor in 2024.

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