LOS ANGELES (AP) – Two men were arrested on Friday in connection with a series of robberies at Southern California 7-Eleven stores that left two people dead and three wounded. Police said the men are suspected in another killing and other crimes in the region.
A half-dozen 7-Elevens and a doughnut shop were robbed within five hours early on Monday in San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside counties, setting off an intensive manhunt that resulted in the arrests of the two men in Los Angeles. One is 20 and the other 44, and both are from LA.
In addition to announcing that the men are suspected of a July 9 killing in LA, police revealed that one of the two people fatally shot on Monday was killed after trying to intervene when one of the suspects tried to rob another person.
“This was a reign of terror,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said at a news conference. He said prosecutors expect to file murder, attempted murder and robbery charges.
Authorities also expect that at least one of the men will be tied to “a number of crimes” in the LA area after additional investigation.
Law enforcement offered few details into the case, only saying “technology” played a role in the apprehension and the suspects had been tracked by a task force when they were arrested with a “minor use of force” that sent one of the men to the hospital. No shots were fired.
Police also did not say if they believe the men targetted 7-Elevens because Monday’s date was July 11 (7/11).
