Dramatic video shows deadly shootout in California smoke shop: "They're pretty brazen"
Authorities on Wednesday released dramatic video of a shootout at a Southern California smoke shop last month that killed a robber and wounded a security guard.
A second suspect has been captured and two other men are being sought for the armed robbery that occurred shortly before 7 p.m. on April 3 at the Smoke Shop in Compton, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.
Video from a surveillance camera shows the security guard standing behind the counter when four men enter the store. One pulls a gun from his waistband and points it at the guard's face.
The guard starts to pull a handgun from a holster and the robber fires. The guard ducks and falls to the floor behind the counter as glass shatters while the robber backs up and trips over one of his accomplices. A second suspect also fires at the guard, video shows.
All four men then scramble to the front of the store and cower behind shelves, with at least three shooting at the guard before they manage to escape.
The guard, who wore a protective vest, was treated at a hospital for gunshot wounds to his face and neck and was released, the Sheriff's Department said.
A short time later, Justin Culberson, 18, turned up at a hospital with a gunshot wound to his abdomen and died later that night.
"It scared me," said Carolyn Um, a store clerk next door who called the police, CBS Los Angeles reported.
Kamren Nettles, 18, was arrested the next day and has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and to murder for the death of Culberson during the holdup.
Authorities said they're still searching for suspects identified as Kahlel Malik Lundy, 23, and Keith Terrion Rachel, 21.
"They're pretty brazen. I'm assuming this is not the first time this crew has done this," said Lt. Hugo Reynaga of the LA County Sheriff's Department.
Business owners told CBS Los Angeles that there's been violence there before.
"I'm scared [and] nervous because it's not right. There's a lot of people [in the strip mall] all the time," said Roy Lugo, a frequent customer. "If it keeps going like this, I don't know what's going to happen."
