Jewelry Store Robbery Ends In Death

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, December 7, 2000

"Jewelry Store Robbery Ends In Death"

Northridge: On December 7, 2000, at 11:19 am, Devonshire Area patrol officers responded to a "Shots Fired" radio call at 8990 Tampa Avenue. The location is a business known as the Sunrise Jewelry store. As responding officers arrived in the vicinity, several citizens directed them toward two fleeing suspects near the southwest corner of Tampa Avenue and Nordhoff Street. One of the possible suspects was immediately detained and two other possible suspects were detained by additional officers moments later.

Simultaneous with this activity, officers responding to the jewelry store found a male victim lying unconscious inside the location. Paramedic personnel rendered aid to the victim, who appeared to have sustained several gunshot wounds in the upper body. The victim failed to respond to treatment and died at the scene.

Devonshire Homicide personnel assumed responsibility for the investigation and preliminary information indicated that an apparent robbery occurred within the jewelry store which led to the death of the victim. Following witness interviews, one of the three males initially detained was arrested and booked for murder. The two additional possible suspects were questioned and released pending further investigation. Efforts to locate at least one additional suspect and possibly a third, are continuing.

The victim has been identified as Karo Zeytounyan, a 44 year old resident of Diamond Bar. The victim was the owner of the jewelry store and had been so for two years, according to family members.

The suspect has been identified as Gaik Papazyan, 27 years of age. No residence information has been established. He has been booked at Devonshire station for murder and bail has been set at $1,000,000. The identity of the other suspects, the precise motive for the crime, and the possibility the suspect and his co-principals may be involved in additional similar robberies remains under investigation.

Detectives Bogison and Cochran of Devonshire Area are conducting the investigation and can be contacted at 818 756-8291. Detective III Mike Oppelt provided information for this press release. This press release was prepared by Officer Don Cox, Media Relations Section, 213 485-3586.

For Release 5:00 pm PST
December 7, 2000