A security guard was shot and killed during an attempted robbery of an illegal casino in North Hollywood on Wednesday.
The victim was identified as Anthony Rivas, a man in his early 30s, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The two suspects remain at large.
At around 3:40 a.m., officers responded to reports of a “man down” at a nightclub on the 3300 block of Cahuenga Boulevard near Universal Studios.
When police arrived, they found the security guard suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers discovered there was an illegal gambling establishment inside the building at the time.
Police discovered two masked suspects had entered the building from a back entrance while armed with rifles.
As the victim spotted the suspects, he removed a pistol from his waist, police said. One of the suspects grabbed a rifle and shot the victim multiple times.
“After searching the building for money, both suspects fled out of the rear door without any property,” said LAPD.
Around 30 people inside the club were moved outside as officers cordoned off the scene. The group of patrons was seen sitting on a curbside as officers questioned them.
“That kind of activity doesn’t belong here because there’s always a lot of trouble that follows,” said a nearby business owner of the illegal gambling. “I saw there were gamblers and they have all these young girls that come along dressed up, kind of like the ones that hang out in Las Vegas and they surround the men who are gambling and that’s what’s going on around there.”
Authorities with LAPD and Homeland Security returned to the club later Wednesday as they continued investigating the deadly incident.
The suspects remain at large and no description has been provided at this time.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Operations Valley Bureau at 818-374-9550 or the LAPD at 1-877-527-3247. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.