Police: L.A. Driver Not at Fault for Hitting Two Shoplifters Running from Store

Two suspected shoplifters were hit by a car while fleeing the scene in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday.

One of the suspects was killed and the other was seriously injured when the vehicle hit the pair who allegedly shoplifted from the TJ Maxx store on North Fallbrook Avenue, Fox 11 reported.

The driver involved in the incident remained at the scene of the crash and cooperated with law enforcement who were on the case.

“One suspect died at the scene and the second was taken to the hospital for treatment of critical injuries. That person’s current condition is not known,” the Fox article said, adding more details were not available at the time.

Aerial video footage shows a dark colored SUV pulled over on the side of the road and police vehicles are also seen in the nearby intersection, per Fox 11:

“Police say the driver who hit them was not at fault,” the outlet noted.

In November, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) claimed crime in his state reached “50-year lows,” even though it was experiencing higher crime rates than the national average, according to Breitbart News.

However, the outlet said his claim was “mostly false” because “National rates overall are lower than decades ago, but crime in California has risen in recent years.”

In April 2023, the outlet reported that Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and other major retailers were closing down locations across the nation as thefts plagued their stores at a growing rate:

As Breitbart News reported, reliable retail outlets have begun to make due on their pledge to close stores if crime continues to climb. Just last week, Walmart closed as many as four stores in crime-ridden Chicago.

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In 2021, retailers lost a combined $94.5 billion from theft and inventory loss, according to the 2022 National Retail Security Survey. California has seen 35 retail outlets close while New York closed 23 and Illinois closed 18. Florida also closed 21 stores.

However, workers at a jewelry store in El Monte, California, showed they had had enough when they were targeted by a suspected thief in September and chased the individual away, according to Breitbart News.

Video footage shows the chaotic incident:

“Police are now investigating the incident that started when the man, who was carrying a hammer, entered the building and allegedly smashed a display case, then pepper sprayed the workers,” the outlet said at the time.