Store owner shoots armed robber in Westminster's Asian Garden Mall

WESTMINSTER, Calif. (KABC) -- A store owner shot a suspect and foiled a robbery at the Asian Garden Mall in Westminster Monday.

Westminster Police received multiple 911 reports of a robbery in progress at 1:10 p.m. Monday at Tick Tock Fine Watches in the Asian Garden Mall at 9200 Bolsa Avenue near Moran Street.

Two suspects allegedly entered the store and attempted a take-over robbery. At least one of the suspects was armed. Police said one of the suspects was in a wheelchair as a ruse.

The suspects ordered employees and patrons to the ground. One of the store's owners, who was in the back of the store, retrieved his own gun and repeatedly ordered 33-year-old Harold Eugene Walker of Gardena to drop his gun. When Walker did not, the owner shot him in the head.

Walker and 57-year-old Ernie Jerome Robinson, also of Gardena, then fled the store on foot. The wounded suspect made a "feeble" attempt to flee but was unable to get far in his wounded condition, said Westminster Police Sgt. Cameron Knauerhaze.

One suspect was apprehended attempting to scale a wall by a Westminster Police patrol sergeant in the parking lot. That suspect was suffering from a gunshot wound to the face.

The facially wounded suspect was transported to UCI Medical Center in critical condition, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. The second suspect was hospitalized at Fountain Valley Medical Center for a pre-existing medical problem. He was not injured in the incident.

Police officers searched the mall and the surrounding area for other suspects.

The investigation revealed that a third suspect in a getaway car was still at large Monday afternoon. Police were looking for a 2008-2010 silver 4-door Honda Accord with a black male driver.

No one else was injured in the incident.

A gun, bag holding gloves and sledgehammer were recovered at the scene.

Anyone with information related to the case should contact the Westminster Police Dept. at (714) 898-3315 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS or OCCrimestoppers.org. Callers can remain anonymous.

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