Police were searching for three people in connection with a shooting that wounded a security guard during what officers described as a botched robbery at a Chinatown jewelry store Thursday morning.
An exchange of gunfire between the guard and two suspects was reported at 11 a.m. on Broadway near Alpine Street, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Aerial footage showed shattered glass in front of Kim Phuoc Jewelry. It was unclear if anything was stolen.
"I heard gunshots, maybe about a dozen gunshots, and there was two guns going off," witness Jonathan Coleman said.
The security guard suffered a wound to the hand during the gunbattle, Coleman said. The guard was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
"I told my girlfriend this must be a movie, this could not be happening this time of day in broad daylight," witness Terry Miller said.
It was unclear if either of the suspects were struck. A third suspect was behind the wheel of a waiting vehicle.
Police were investigating a maroon-colored SUV parked nearby on Alpine Street in connection with the shooting.
Witness Jonathan Coleman said he saw the whole thing happen.
News
Top news of the day
"A shootout, like pow, pow, pow, pow, pow, pow!" he recalled. He said he heard more than a dozen shots before he saw a Suburban take off up Alpine.
"It went past me. It was flying and I think it had bullet holes in the windows," he said.
