Woman Killed During Standoff With Gunman At Silver Lake Trader Joe's

A woman who had been among the hostages inside a Silver Lake Trader Joe's has died.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the fatality during a news conference following the end of a tense standoff with a gunman, described as a male in his late teens, that lasted more than two hours.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the woman had been shot. Police were able to remove her from the store prior to the end of the standoff but she did not survive her injuries. Garcetti said it was not immediately clear who shot her.

Moore called the incident a "horrific ordeal."

"I'm hurting because of the loss of life," he said, before thanking law enforcement officials for their work to bring the standoff to an end.

He said as many as 40 to 50 people were in the store when the standoff began. Moore said police were still working to make sure no customers or staff remained inside the store in the 2700 block of Hyperion Ave., noting that some people hid or barricaded themselves during the incident.

Anyone wanting information about loved ones who may have been at the store is asked to call 323-561-3211. A reunification center is located at 3353 North San Fernando Road.

"Our hearts go out to everyone who has been traumatized," said Mayor Eric Garcetti said, noting that he and his family have shopped at that store in the past.

The incident began in another part of the city.

Garcetti said the suspect taken into custody is believed to have shot his grandmother as many as seven times in the Newton police area. The grandmother was reported to be in critical condition after surgery.

That shooting took place about 1:30 p.m. Authorities said after shooting his grandmother the suspect kidnapped another woman and fled the scene in his grandmother's car. Officers responding to that shooting pursued him.

Live television coverage of the scene showed a man in a tank top being handcuffed and led away.

As the standoff unfolded, a heavy police presence descended on the area and onlookers were warned to stay clear of the area. Authorities actively trying to get the barricaded gunman to surrender.

Earlier, LAPD Sgt. Barry Montgomery told reporters at the scene that the suspect, described as a male in his late teens, had been involved in a family dispute. He allegedly shot his grandmother and possibly another woman before fleeing in his grandmother's car.

That chase ended when officers fired at the suspect, he crashed the vehicle and then fled into the Trader Joe's.

Authorities started warning people to stay away from a Trader Joe's store in Silver Lake shortly after the incident began. They also responded to a tweet from President Trump saying he was watching as the situation unfolded.

Witnesses near the scene described terrifying moments after shots were fired, including people scrambling for safety out of second story window

NBC LA video reported children being carried from the parking lot and a young hostage being released.

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