The Los Angeles Post
California & Local U.S. World Business Lifestyle
Today: December 27, 2024
Today: December 27, 2024

Tragic robbery at Fashion Island Mall ends in fatal shooting

Tragic robbery at Fashion Island Mall ends in fatal shootingTragic robbery at Fashion Island Mall ends in fatal shooting
July 11, 2024
Lily Carter - LA Post

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., July 2—A Good Samaritan who tried to help during a robbery at Fashion Island regrets he couldn't do more to prevent the tragedy. Beau Bayless, 43, of Fountain Valley, was outside Sushi Roku when he heard a woman being robbed near Barnes & Noble.ore.

Beau Bayless was relaxing outside Sushi Roku when he heard a commotion near Barnes & Noble. Someone yelled about a robbery, and Bayless spotted a woman struggling with two men over her purse. He jumped in to help. “It could be someone’s grandma, could be someone’s mom,” Bayless said. “She needed help.”

By the time Bayless got there, three men had attacked Patricia McKay, a Kiwi tourist in her late 60s. The assailants ran her over and dragged her 65 feet with their car, killing her on the spot.

Chaos ensued, but Bayless managed to tackle one of the criminals. Then another attacker started shooting, and Bayless had to let the man go. The trio then fled in a white Toyota Camry.

The Newport Beach Police Department later arrested the suspects in Cypress and South Gate. Leroy Ernest Joseph McCrary, 26, Malachi Eddward Darnell, 18, and Jaden Cunningham, 18, were charged with special-circumstances murder and other felonies, including attempted robbery.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the suspects initially targeted McKay’s 69-year-old husband, pointing a gun at his head and demanding his watch. When that attempt failed, they turned their attention to McKay, who was holding shopping bags.

Bayless recounted the horrifying sequence of events, describing how the driver of the Camry, identified as McCrary, hit McKay once, causing her to fall. McKay’s husband tried to intervene, but the suspects accelerated again, running over McKay.

As the suspects attempted to flee, Bayless managed to tackle one of them. However, he was forced to let go when another suspect fired a shot in his direction. “I saw the barrel and realized he was shooting at me, and I knew I had to let him go,” Bayless recalled.

Bayless is distraught about what happened, wishing he could’ve done more to stop it. Despite the danger he faced, Bayless remains focused on the victims and their family. “Anything that’s going to help that poor family,” he said. “I feel so bad for all of them.”

This incident has everyone concerned about safety at Fashion Island after this tourist was killed. 

These criminals are headed to court for murder charges, with additional time added for killing an elderly woman. Since it happened during a robbery, they might even face the death penalty.

Related

Local|Crime|News

Homicides decline over 25%, according to mayor's office

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Tuesday a decline of more than one-fourth in the number of homicides and people shot since she took office two years ago. Statistics released by the L.A. Police Department show murders are down 28.1% and 26.2% fewer people have been shot. Gang-related homicides were a particularly bright spot, down by 50% since 2022. City officials attributed the decline in part to programs like Summer Night Lights and Fall Friday Nights, which aim to create supervised spaces for young people at times when gang activities have traditionally been high. Over 316,000 people received food, programming,

Homicides decline over 25%, according to mayor's office
Local|News

Franklin Fire expands to 2,700 acres amid ongoing response efforts

The Franklin Fire in Malibu Canyon grew to more than 2,700 acres as of Tuesday near Pepperdine University.  The fire – driven by Santa Ana winds – started Monday and was first reported at 11 p.m. It threatens about 2,000 structures, forcing mandatory evacuations orders to be handed out. However, only a “minimal” number of homes have been destroyed, and no injuries have been reported.  There’s a high volume of dry brush, which contributed to the rapidly growing fire. The fire began in the midst of a “particularly dangerous situation red flag warning” issued by the National Weather Service. Los Angeles

Franklin Fire expands to 2,700 acres amid ongoing response efforts
Local|News|Political

Two new city councillors to be sworn-in

Ysabel Jurado and Adrin Nazarian will begin their terms on the Los Angeles City Council Monday, more than a month after they won runoff elections in the 14th and Second districts. The official ceremony will take place behind closed doors, with the City Clerk administering the oaths of office. On Tuesday, a ceremonial public swearing-in will take place during the council’s meeting. Nazarian will succeed Paul Krekorian — for whom he once served as chief of staff — as Council Member for the Second District. Krekorian retired this year due to the role’s term limit. Prior to that, Nazarian was

Two new city councillors to be sworn-in
Local|Environment|News

Santa Ana winds bring red flag warning to parts of LA County

LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Another round of potentially damaging Santa Ana winds will batter much of the region starting Monday and lingering into mid-week, and will combine with low humidity to create dangerous wildfire conditions. The conditions are expected to peak late Monday night into Tuesday afternoon. In anticipation, the National Weather Service has issued another rare “particularly dangerous situation red flag warning” from 10 p.m. Monday to 2 p.m. Tuesday for the San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Western San Fernando Valley, Calabasas, the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway corridor and the Malibu coast. Those areas will

Santa Ana winds bring red flag warning to parts of LA County
Share This

Popular

Local|News

Severed leg found during search for missing boaters

Severed leg found during search for missing boaters
News|Americas

Santa begins his journey around the world, according to NORAD Tracker

Santa begins his journey around the world, according to NORAD Tracker
Local|Crime|News

Protect your packages: Tips for Angelenos against 'porch pirates'

Protect your packages: Tips for Angelenos against 'porch pirates'
Local|Celebrity|Entertainment|News

James Kennedy will not split from girlfriend after domestic violence arrest

James Kennedy will not split from girlfriend after domestic violence arrest