Man gropes, attacks store's customers, then female shopper fatally shoots him, authorities say

In Compton, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies say a woman shot and killed a man inside a store after he allegedly groped a female customer and threatened others. The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.

The call came in Sunday afternoon from a shopping center on East Alondra Boulevard. When deputies arrived, they learned the disturbance involved a shooting victim. The business has been identified by local media as Pink Beauty Supply, though authorities did not name it in their release. 

Investigators say the sequence of events began when the man followed a woman into the store and grabbed her. Store employees asked him to leave, but he became verbally abusive, started damaging merchandise, and grew more aggressive. He is alleged to have wielded an object believed to be a knife, and threatened to kill or harm everyone inside.

Another customer—separate from the one who was groped—then drew a personal firearm. She first fired a warning shot. But when the man turned toward her, she fired again, this time striking him. Deputies arriving at the scene found the man with a gunshot wound and he was pronounced dead at the location.

Authorities identified the victim as 42‑year‑old Zaque Sykes. The shooter stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators, handing over her firearm. At this time, prosecutors have not decided whether charges will be filed.

Investigators believe there were additional customers in the store and possibly people in the parking lot who saw what happened. They are urging anyone with information—especially anyone who was inside or around the store at the time—to contact the sheriff’s homicide bureau.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times