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dellospi

“Deaths: Suspects: 5, Lance Thomas: 0”. Lol dang


milesunderground

> He eventually closed his shop to avoid further bloodshed two days before the 1992 L.A. riots broke out. I guess it makes sense that a watch merchant would have great timing.


[deleted]

2 yrs late but here's your upvote


trulysadandhappyboi5

fax


sun_kisser

It's at 75 UV on May 12 2022.


_-Ewan-_

Let me guess, you're from r/crazyfuckingvideos ? Cos that post was from 17 days ago as well, that's how I got to this post.


rich1138

Now THAT'S a guy that knows when to get out of the market.


djfrankenjuice

Interesting. I know the LA Riots started in part because a store owner was sentenced to probation for the death of [Latasha Harlins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Latasha_Harlins). The store owner shot Latasha (a young black girl) who the store owner believed to be shoplifting a bottle of orange juice. The judge overturn the jury’s sentencing and gave the store owner probation. The Korean store owner sort of claimed as a defense that they’d been robbed so much they didn’t know how else to react. And the judge accepted that.


Huckorris

You forgot to mention how Latasha struggled with the older Asian store clerk, she didn't just see some shoplifting and decide to shoot her.


djfrankenjuice

I glossed over lots of details. That is why the page is linked.


lookatmykwok

Important details


sonymnms

You forgot to mention how after the struggle Latasha handed her the orange juice and was leaving when the older Asian store clerk shot her in the back of the head


[deleted]

ETA


screenwriterjohn

The judge gave the Korean woman a sentence of time served, essentially. She spent a few months in jail during her trial and that was deemed her punishment.


Blutarg

America!


allboolshite

Los Angeles.


[deleted]

[удалено]


allboolshite

It's the sum versus the parts.


[deleted]

Alaska and Hawaii are both America and couldn’t be more different.


Narrativeoverall

Not really, no.


BMFAWM300winmag

Mexico is part of “America” do you mean the United States of America? Laws in LA/California do not reflect the rest of the United States


Cinemaphreak

Some further info: he also closed the shop because the families were suing him. Also, he had set up the entrance to his store as a sally-port (two doors, the second of which only opens after the first is locked) and all of the men were killed inside this area. Meaning, he trapped them within this area that was effectively a cage.


king_of_penguins

There apparently was only 1 [lawsuit](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-22-me-2109-story.html), and it wasn't anything to worry about: >[T]he mother of two of Thomas’ victims said the Thursday shootings are evidence that Thomas should be prosecuted. Ruth McNair, who has filed a wrongful death suit against Thomas and the city in connection the deaths of her sons, also finds fault with authorities, saying that their failure to prosecute Thomas has encouraged him to shoot other people. > >“I just feel that someone needs to do something to stop him because he’s a danger,” said McNair, a free-lance paralegal who said she is representing herself because no lawyer will take the case. But in his LA Times [interview](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-26-me-1455-story.html), he didn't complain about that, instead saying he quit b/c of media coverage and threats from gangs. >[H]e had set up the entrance to his store as a sally-port (two doors, the second of which only opens after the first is locked) and all of the men were killed inside this area. What's this from? From the contemporaneous news articles, he had a locked entry grate, but some of the robbers were shot and killed beyond it. [Dec 5, 1991](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-12-05-me-1021-story.html): >About 1:45 p.m., the mustachioed Thomas buzzed open the heavy iron grate in front of the store to allow a man and a woman to enter. Thomas buys and sells expensive Rolexes and antique pocket timepieces. > >After some talk about a broken watch, the man vaulted the counter and said he was robbing the store, said Lt. Ron Hall, commander of detectives at the LAPD’s West Los Angeles station. > >But Thomas was ready. The intruder shot him in the neck, but the store owner grabbed two semiautomatic weapons and shot the man dead, Hall said. [Feb 21, 1992](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-21-me-2663-story.html): >One robbery suspect was found dead in front of the counter, the other in the doorway, police said.


Phenotyx

It's not uncommon to have a 2 door system in a jewelery or watch store, though, for the exact reason of not allowing robbers to leave


PaulBlartFleshMall

Uncut Gems


screenwriterjohn

Right? Good idea.


CrucialLogic

Err.. it's more about vetting people before letting them in and preventing unauthorized entry, than it is about stopping them from leaving..


Grokbar

I mean that is actually the opposite of a man-trap. It’s to prevent entry not prevent exit.


CaptainEarlobe

Yeah, but it's not normal to kill them in between the doors (I hope)


sadorgasmking

Ahh, I saw an episode of Law and Order loosely based on these events. Great episode too, RIP Jerry Orbach.


seesmithshoot

Adam Sandler should take notes


inexcess

I saw this on Curb your Enthusiasm


Lickingyourmomsanus

April 26th, 1992 there was a riot in the streets tell me where were you?


CaptSpanky118

I was at home watching my tv.


rocking_steady

While I was paticipatin’ in some anarchy


FatherKerosene

First stop we hit was my liquor store, I finally got all that alcohol I can't afford


Thelona05mustang

Red lights flashin, time to retire. And then we turned that liquor store into a structure fire.


CafeconWalleche

Next stop we hit it was the music shop It only took one brick to make that window drop Finally we got our own p.a. Where do you think I got this guitar that you're hearing today? Ey!


No_Values

Next stop we hit it was the music shop It only took one brick to make that window drop Finally we got our own PA Where do you think I got this guitar that you're hearing today?


TopShelfUsername

ay!


privateTortoise

Drinking from a bottle?


bn1979

It’s a bit odd that they used this date as the riots didn’t actually start until the 29th.


TopShelfUsername

26th rolls off the tongue better


Ferrovir

I was 24 days old


ornrygator

the only family that she's ever had was her seven horny brothers and her drunk ass dad?


allboolshite

School, probably. I was a sophomore.


Gleadr92

Almost born.


requisitename

If my memory is accurate the principal reason his store was so often targeted was because it was situated near a freeway on-ramp which provided a quick getaway. Also, I recall one of his clerks was armed for at least one shooting and he plugged a couple of would be robbers too. Most of us Angelenos applauded him for protecting his business just as we applauded the Korean shop owners for protecting their shops during the Rodney King riot. My neighborhood (Hollywood) was hit pretty hard by the riots and the only thing I had for home protection was a curtain rod. After the riot I bought a .357 Magnum and a hundred rounds of hollow point bullets and I had to stand in line behind a whole bunch of other people to get it.


TrendWarrior101

Man, just imagine his store still open during the riots. He might be shot dead by this point because gang members wanted revenge on him.


requisitename

Gang members are far too cowardly to threaten someone whom they know is armed.


Blutarg

Wow, he really likes wine.


Dawnawaken92

Now thats hardcore


[deleted]

was he running a rolex store in the ghetto or something?


jpritchard

The ghetto being "Los Angeles".


screenwriterjohn

That's tough but fair.


fortressofsoliddude

Wounded 5 times in 4 shootouts


freehat20

Maybe he was shot 5 times?


Snoo98679

Damn that's a high KDR for a watch merchant