UPDATE: The man shot by police has been identified as Steen Parker III, 43, of Lake Elsinore.
Consider a 39-year-old Lake Elsinore man in custody for the armed robbery of an Anaheim Fry's Electronics store lucky.
He could have been his alleged partner in crime.
That man, who has not yet been identified, died in a shootout with cops, according to the Anaheim Police Department.
The drama began just after 1:50 p.m. Friday, when officers were called to the Fry's at 3370 E. La Palma Ave. about an armed robbery, according to Anaheim Police Lt. Bob Dunn.
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As cops were driving to the store, witnesses told dispatchers the robbers got into a dark-colored SUV and sped out of the Fry's parking lot, added Dunn, the department spokesman.
A short time later, police received reports of a hit-and-run collision in the intersection of Tustin and Miraloma avenues, where a dark-colored SUV hit a tan pickup truck and two men inside the SUV took off running, Dunn said.
One man ran east on Miraloma Avenue and the other northeast on Tustin Avenue, according to Dunn, who added that witnesses directed a passing California Highway Patrol officer to the first man. He was taken into custody without incident and identified as Paul Brian Marval III, 39, of Lake Elsinore.
Anaheim detectives learned the SUV–a black 2012 Honda Pilot–was stolen out of Corona and, after showing Marval to witnesses, he was fingered as the man who participated in the Fry's robbery and hit-and-run, Dunn said. Marval was held in lieu of $100,000 bail on suspicion of robbery, attempted burglary, a probation violation and possession of a stolen vehicle.
As for the second man, he was apparently seen by witnesses pointing a gun at people as he ran away, finally ducking into the parking lot of a car dealership exchange parking lot in the 1300 block of North Tustin Ave., where employees were ordered into the building by their management for their safety, Dunn said.
Anaheim Police Tactical Response Group members were called to the scene, and they found a male inside a dark BMW SUV within the dealership lot, where negotiations were started to get him “to surrender peacefully,” Dunn said.
“For more than an hour, negotiations were attempted to no avail,” Dunn added. “Without warning, the suspect began firing at the officers and there was an exchange of gunfire. During that exchange, the suspect was wounded.”
Paramedics pronounced the man deceased, Dunn said.
As is routine, the Orange County District Attorney's office is investigating the officer-involved shooting.
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