Crime & Safety
Robbery Suspect in Ralphs Shooting Dies
Authorities say Glendora resident Luis Varela, Jr., who shot at police in a busy Ralphs store, died Monday morning of his gunshot wound.
The robbery suspect involved in a has died at the hospital, authorities confirmed today.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Luis Varela, Jr. died 11 a.m. Monday from a single gunshot to the upper body sustained during Saturday’s gunfire, said Assistant Chief Ed Winter of the coroner’s office.
The shootout occurred around 10 p.m. Saturday inside a busy Ralphs grocery store at 655 S. Grand Ave., according to a Glendora police press release and L.A. County Sheriff’s detectives.
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Varela, a parolee from Glendora, encountered Glendora police at the Ralphs parking lot and ran into the store as an officer confronted him about an earlier robbery at Kohl’s 1225 S. Lone Hill Ave.
Varela shot at police as he used a checkout stand inside the grocery store for cover. An officer returned fire and critically wounded Varela. No one else was injured in the gunfire.
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Varela was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where he died Monday morning of his injury.
L.A. County Sheriff’s Department took over the investigation into the shooting. According to detectives, Varela had been suspected of committed several robberies in Glendora and had been wanted for a parole violation.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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