COMPTON, CA – A woman shot and killed a man inside a beauty supply store Monday after he allegedly groped a customer, threatened violence and appeared to be armed with a knife, prompting fear among shoppers and employees.
The incident began when an unidentified man followed a female customer into the Compton beauty supply store and groped her. Store employees immediately demanded he leave the premises.
“The male became increasingly verbally assaultive toward employees and customers,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators said in a statement. “He started throwing and damaging merchandise in the store. The incident escalated rapidly.”
While destroying merchandise and making threats, witnesses told investigators they believed the man was armed with a knife and was threatening to kill and harm customers and employees inside the store.
A second customer in the store, fearing for the safety of employees and other patrons, retrieved a personal firearm and fired a warning shot at the man. When the man turned toward her, she fired a second shot, striking and killing him.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies and Compton Fire Department personnel responded to the scene, where paramedics pronounced the man dead. The woman who fired the shots was not immediately arrested.
Footage of the investigation posted to the Citizen App showed a large presence of deputies at the location, which was cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape well into the evening hours.
Authorities are reviewing video evidence from inside the store and believe there were additional witnesses in the store and parking lot when the incident occurred. The Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with information to contact the Homicide Bureau.
Investigators did not provide information about the customer who shot the man or whether she faces any charges. The department said the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been reported.
The incident highlights the complex legal and ethical questions surrounding self-defense and the use of deadly force in California. State law allows individuals to use reasonable force to protect themselves or others from imminent danger.
