Sandy MaloneLa Habra, CA – Police are investigating a string of armed robberies that left two dead and more wounded at 7-Eleven convenience stores across southern California on “National 7/11 Day” when all customers get a free Slurpee.
The series of shootings started at about 1:50 a.m. on July 11 at a 7-Eleven located in the 5200-block of La Sierra Avenue in Riverside, KABC reported.
Police said a customer was shot in the head during the robbery and was in “grave” condition at the hospital, KTTV reported.
Police said there was no indication that the customer had done anything to stop the robbery but was still shot by the suspect.
The next incident occurred at about 3:25 a.m. at a 7-Eleven store located in the 300-block of East 17th Street in Santa Ana, KABC reported.
Santa Ana police said a man who was fatally shot during that robbery was found dead in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to his upper torso, KTTV reported.
At 4:18 a.m., a store clerk was fatally shot at the 7-Eleven store located at Lambert Road and North Brea Boulevard in La Brea.
Police said the male victim was pronounced dead at the scene, KTTV reported.
Next, two people were shot at about 4:55 a.m. outside the 7-Eleven near Cypress Street and Whittier Boulevard in La Habra.
Police said a store clerk and a customer who was sitting outside the store in his vehicle were both shot and wounded, KTTV reported.
The victims were transported to the hospital for treatment and both were expected to survive.
Police said a cash register was found on the floor of that 7-Eleven, KTTV reported.
La Habra and Brea police officials held a joint press conference on Monday morning and said they believed the armed robberies that occurred in their jurisdictions were committed by the same robbery crew, KABC reported.
They said investigators were working to link their incidents to the shootings at the 7-Eleven stores in Santa Ana and Riverside as well.
Holly Matkin
