'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Two suspects were arrested on Friday, July 15, in connection with the robberies and shootings across 7-Eleven stores in Southern California. The incident left two people dead and three others injured.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced the arrest at a press conference.The suspects were identified as Malik Donyae Patt, 20, and Jason Lamont Payne, 44.
It all began on July 11 in Ontario, California, when a man with a handgun entered a 7-Eleven store and demanded money. A similar scene took place about 45 minutes later at a 7-Eleven store in Upland. Here, the suspect stole $500.
The suspect then hit another store located on La Sierra Avenue in Riverside. 60-year-old customer Russell Browning was shot as he was sitting in his car.
Santa Ana police chief David Valentin stated that Patt is likely the primary suspect and the one responsible for the robberies. However, authorities are yet to determine Payne's role in the crimes.
7-Eleven shooting occurred across Southern California in a five-hour duration
All the attacks occurred over a five-hour duration that began early Monday morning. Six 7-Eleven stores and a donut store in the cities of Riverside, Ontario, Upland, Brea, Santa Ana and La Habra were robbed by a masked gunman.
The string of robberies left the clerk of the Brea store, Matthew Hirsch, 40, dead along with Matthew Rule, 24, who was killed in the parking lot of the store in Santa Ana.
Following the attack, authorities released surveillance images of a masked gunman wearing a black sweatshirt with a hood over his head. However, the image was not very clear.
Deputy chief Alan Hamilton of the LA Police said investigators believe that one of the suspects, Patt, may also be connected to a shooting that took place in L.A. on July 9. Further, he could be responsible for several other crimes.
Following the announcement of the arrests, 7-Eleven also issued a statement:
"We are grateful that the Orange County District Attorney has announced local law enforcement has apprehended suspects related to the recent violent incidents."
The company also announced a reward of $100,000 for anyone providing information about the attacks. The robbery caused the company to close down its stores for safety reasons.
In a statement after the arrest, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said,
"This was a reign of terror, to be thinking you go to a convenience store, donut shop, sandwich shop, and to get shot in the face. To call your loved ones with your last gasp for breath."
He added:
"Or to be a clerk behind the cash register just helping another customer because you are working a job and trying to get back on your feet because you’ve been through the school of hard knocks, you’ve been an addict, and you're working at a 7-Eleven because they’ve given you a chance to resurrect your life and then somebody comes in and feigns a transaction and shoots you and kills you."
Authorities further informed the customer who was shot at a Riverside store and two others who were shot in La Habra were taken to the hospital. According to KNBC-TV, the Riverside victim was no longer in a coma and was breathing on his own. The La Habra victims were released from the hospital on Wednesday, July 13.
