A 38-year-old man was killed in an attempted robbery early Saturday, as he and the thief grappled with a gun, which went off and killed him.
The victim was identified as Alexander Garcia of Los Angeles, said Lt. David Smith of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
Police were notified of the attempted robbery near Rosewood Avenue and Heliotrope Drive about 3 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department. That intersection is two blocks west of Vermont Avenue at the Hollywood (101) Freeway.
The victim was with a friend outside a residence when the suspect pointed a gun at them, said Sgt. H. Chang of the LAPD’s Rampart Station.
Garcia struggled with the suspect, suffering a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Garcia’s friend was unharmed. He had taken off running when he heard gunfire, Chang said. When he returned, he found Garcia and called 911, Chang said.
Witnesses told investigators the suspect appeared to be a man in his mid-20s.
