Suspected Shoplifter Fatally Stabs Security Officer Outside Grocery Store
Sylmar CA Aug 7 2017
A store security officer was fatally stabbed Sunday afternoon outside a Sylmar grocery store, according to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Mission Division station.
The stabbing was reported around 2:45 p.m. at the Food 4 Less located at 12689 Glenoaks Boulevard.
The suspect – possibly a transient – entered the store and attempted to grab a “quantity of beer” before being confronted by security, said Lt. Mike Kozak.
The transient left the store and security pursued him onto the street where the altercation continued.
During the course of the confrontation, the security officer and shoplifter began to wrestle on the ground and that’s when witnesses say the man pulled a knife and stabbed the security officer in the neck.
The suspect was arrested at a home across the street in connection with the stabbing, police said.
The guard – described only as a male adult — was nearing the end of his shift shortly before the stabbing.
“It appears that the victim’s brother was coming to pick him up from work … and pulled up to the curb and actually observed the incident occur,” Kozak said.
Kozak added that there seems to be a history between the suspect and the store. When the broadcast came out, officers readily knew who he was from prior contact.
The security, later identified as 28 year old joe Lopez died at the hospital.
Family members are still trying to come to terms with the tragic way Lopez lost his life while doing his job.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
This is the forth security officer death this week-end. One security officer was fatally shot, two were stabbed to death and one committed suicide while on duty.
All three murder victims were unarmed according to police reports.
There were also a total of 35 recorded armed incidents involving private security officers and three were shot in gunfire exchange.
