Authorities say detectives on surveillance recovered a handgun; a second suspect fled and was later detained in Agoura Hills.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detective shot and killed an alleged robbery suspect Thursday night outside the Michaels arts-and-crafts store at the Fallbrook Center in West Hills, a San Fernando Valley neighborhood, after investigators said they saw an attempted armed robbery unfold in the parking lot around 8:40 p.m.
Officials said detectives with the Major Crimes Bureau were conducting surveillance related to a series of recent robberies when they saw a man confront a woman in the lot and moved to detain him. During the encounter, at least one detective opened fire. The man, described by the county medical examiner as a teenager, was pronounced dead at the scene despite on-site medical aid. Investigators recovered a semi-automatic handgun at the location. A second suspect ran from the plaza, sparking a brief pursuit that ended with a traffic stop in Agoura Hills, where deputies detained a female driver without incident. The episode is under active investigation.
Detectives said they were watching the shopping center on the 6600 block of Fallbrook Avenue as part of an operation examining armed robberies reported in Calabasas and Westlake Village. After the confrontation in the lot, the suspect fell near the storefront, and deputies rendered aid before paramedics arrived. “A semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine was recovered at the scene,” LASD Lt. Steve De Jong said. Broken glass and several bullet holes were visible on the Michaels windows Friday morning as crime-scene tape blocked off a section of the plaza. The woman whom detectives said was targeted in the attempted robbery was evaluated by medics; officials did not report serious injuries. The detective who fired has been placed on routine administrative leave.
Authorities said the teen killed was approximately 18 and from Southern California; his name has not been released pending next-of-kin notification. Loved ones who gathered nearby Friday identified him by first name and said he had recently graduated high school, describing the shooting as shocking and out of character. Officials have not publicly confirmed any link between the West Hills suspects and other recent robberies but said investigators are examining similarities, including the use of a handgun and a getaway vehicle. Detectives did not release how many rounds were fired, the distance of the confrontation, or whether any body-worn or surveillance cameras captured the exchange in full. Storefront cameras at the plaza are being reviewed.
West Hills is a retail-heavy area near Victory and Fallbrook, with large-format stores and extensive parking lots that have seen periodic theft and robbery investigations in recent years. The Fallbrook Center spans multiple blocks and is bordered by residential neighborhoods and busy commuter routes. The Sheriff’s Department said Major Crimes detectives were already in the area because of a pattern of armed robberies reported over roughly the past 10 days in parts of the western San Fernando Valley and adjacent communities. Similar operations, often conducted in unmarked vehicles, typically involve surveillance teams staged across a property and uniformed deputies called in for traffic stops or arrests once a suspect moves. Officials did not say how many detectives were on-site at the time of Thursday’s shooting.
Per department procedure, the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau is leading the shooting investigation, with Internal Affairs and the county Office of Inspector General notified. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division is expected to review the case after the Sheriff’s investigation is completed. Officials said they will examine ballistics, collect nearby video, and interview the involved detective and witnesses. The female detainee from the pursuit had not been booked as of Friday afternoon, and no charges were immediately announced. The medical examiner will confirm the decedent’s identity and manner of death; an autopsy date was not released.
Shoppers arriving Friday described a heavy law enforcement presence and a portion of the lot still closed. “I saw the windows patched and a line of cones where the evidence markers were,” said Carlos Jimenez, who works at a nearby restaurant. “People kept asking if the store was open.” A woman who gave only her first name, Elena, said she heard sirens and a helicopter around 9 p.m. Thursday and later learned about the shooting online. Business owners in the plaza said they expect some storefronts to reopen as the investigation allows, but several added that night traffic was far lighter than usual.
As of Friday evening, detectives had not released the detective’s name, the number of shots fired, or footage from the scene. The Sheriff’s Department said additional updates would be provided after key interviews and evidence reviews are completed. The next formal update is expected once the medical examiner confirms the decedent’s identity and investigators determine whether the case is tied to other recent robberies.
Author note: Last updated January 24, 2026.