Detectives are reviewing video and interviewing witnesses after the daytime killing in the Hilltop District.
RICHMOND, CA — A restaurant employee was shot and killed inside the kitchen of an IHOP in Richmond on Monday afternoon, authorities said, prompting a homicide investigation in a busy shopping corridor as customers and workers looked on.
Police said the killing occurred shortly before 2 p.m. Monday inside the IHOP on Klose Way across from Hilltop Plaza. The victim, a man in his early 30s who worked at the restaurant, was found on the kitchen floor with at least one gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. Richmond Police Chief Tim Simmons called the attack brazen and said detectives are seeking video and witnesses while the Contra Costa County coroner works to confirm the man’s identity and notify family. No arrests have been announced, and investigators have not released a motive.
Officers were dispatched around 1:43 to 1:45 p.m., after employees reported a co-worker down in the kitchen. Responding officers and medical crews initially assessed what looked like an accidental injury, then determined the man had been shot. Simmons said the shooting happened in daylight in an active commercial district that includes restaurants and big-box stores. “This occurred during business hours in a place where people take their families,” Simmons said. He added that detectives canvassed neighboring storefronts for surveillance footage and spoke with customers who had stepped outside when emergency crews arrived. IHOP said the victim was a team member and expressed condolences to his family and colleagues.
Investigators said the victim was described as Hispanic and in his early 30s. His name will be released by the coroner after next-of-kin notification. Police did not immediately share details about a suspect, a getaway vehicle, or how the gunman entered or left the building. Detectives collected evidence from the kitchen and service areas and are checking whether cameras inside the restaurant or at nearby businesses captured usable images. Simmons noted that some of the city’s automated license plate reader cameras have been offline since November because of data-sharing concerns, which could complicate efforts to track vehicles that were in the area around the time of the shooting. The department asked anyone who was in the Hilltop area around 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. Monday to contact investigators if they saw unusual activity.
Monday’s killing was Richmond’s sixth homicide of the year, a far lower pace than the city’s most violent years in the early 1990s but still troubling for residents who frequent the Hilltop District. The IHOP sits in the 3400 block of Klose Way, a corridor that feeds Interstate 80 and draws steady lunchtime crowds. Police said the restaurant was secured with crime-scene tape for several hours as technicians photographed and mapped the interior. Employees who were working the line when the victim was found were interviewed at the scene and later at the police station. The department said it is also reviewing recent calls for service in the complex to see if any disputes or threats were reported in the days before the shooting.
Richmond police said they planned a media briefing Tuesday evening to provide updates and clarify the timeline. Detectives expect to meet with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office once they have preliminary investigative findings, including autopsy results and any video that shows a suspect or vehicle. The coroner will determine the number of shots fired and the exact cause and manner of death. If a suspect is identified, police could seek an arrest warrant and ask neighboring agencies for assistance. Officials said they will also extend the canvass to additional businesses along Klose Way and at Hilltop Plaza to capture any angles missed during the first round of interviews.
Customers who arrived during the investigation described workers consoling each other on the sidewalk while officers moved in and out of the front doors. A shopper who gave his name only as Marcus said he saw paramedics rush inside, then pause as officers re-checked the kitchen area. “People were confused at first,” he said. “Then we realized something terrible had happened.” In a brief written statement, IHOP said it was focused on caring for its team and supporting the victim’s family. The franchise kept its exterior lights off after dusk while crews finished cleaning and managers spoke with police. Nearby businesses reported a quiet evening once the restaurant was sealed.
As of Wednesday morning, police had not announced an arrest or released the victim’s name. Detectives said the next public milestone is the release of coroner findings and any new details from the evening briefing. Investigators plan to return to the Hilltop area this week to follow up with employees and collect any additional footage that may become available.
Author note: Last updated December 31, 2025.