Security guard killed during armed robbery attempt at cannabis dispensary

A security guard was shot dead during an armed robbery attempt at a cannabis dispensary in Montebello early Monday morning.

The incident took place around 2 a.m. at East L.A. Greens on Whittier Boulevard near Brady Avenue, according to preliminary information.

Initial eyewitness accounts indicated the victim was a security guard at the location, and about five hours later, officials confirmed those accounts.

“Two male gunmen entered and attempted to rob the location,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau Lt. Daniel Vizcarra said. “As a result, the security guard was fatally shot.”

An employee who was inside the store at the time was not injured in the incident, officials added. It was not clear if the guard was armed at the time of the attempted robbery.

The suspects fled the scene in what was believed to be a dark-colored SUV; no descriptions of either two were immediately released.

Yellow crime scene tape blocked the parking lot while authorities conducted their investigation early Monday morning. Family members of the victim were seen gathering near the location mourning the tragic loss of their loved one, who has not been identified.

According to Google Maps and a sign outside the location, the dispensary is open 24 hours a day, but its website states that it is open from 9 a.m. to 12 midnight daily.

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