Parking dispute at Southern California mall turns into violent brawl, robbery

COMMERCE, Calif. (KTLA) – A parking dispute on the in style Citadel Retailers in Commerce changed into a violent, all-out brawl and theft Wednesday that was caught on a cellphone digicam.

Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division responded to studies of the combat within the parking zone alongside 100 Citadel Drive simply after 5 p.m., authorities confirmed to KTLA.

The encounter, based on Patricia Cupa and her 19-year-old daughter Natalie Martinez, the victims, began after a visit to the outlet retailers to return a sweater.

Within the parking zone, the mom and daughter mentioned they drove round for an prolonged time frame in search of a spot to park. As soon as they lastly discovered an open spot, a portion of it was blocked by the open door of one other automobile.

Patricia mentioned that she and Natalie, who was behind the wheel of their automotive, waited patiently for a number of minutes for somebody to shut that automobile’s door earlier than Natalie lastly honked the horn and requested one of many automobile’s occupants if they might shut the door.

Once they ultimately pulled into the spot and bought out of the automotive, they are saying 5 individuals, 4 females and a male, exited their automobile with issues shortly escalating to insults, obscenities, a thrown drink, racist feedback after which a violent bodily altercation.

“I used to be actually upset,” Patricia mentioned of the violence. “I couldn’t imagine what was occurring.”

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In footage of the incident obtained by KTLA, Natalie is seen being pummeled by not less than two individuals as a 3rd individual grabs her by the ft and pulls her out from between the 2 autos the place she fell to the bottom.

As soon as she will get again on her ft, the violence continues as she and one other feminine alternate a number of extra blows.

“I attempted combating again, that’s all I might’ve carried out,” the 19-year-old mentioned. “Your instincts kick in.”

Natalie suffered cuts, bumps and bruises together with a busted lip.

In the course of the melee, an individual from the opposite automobile will be seen on video opening the driving force’s facet door of the sufferer’s Volkswagen SUV. Witnesses mentioned it was the male who reportedly grabbed a handbag from the automotive earlier than transferring again round to the trunk of the automobile.

He’s additionally seen transferring round to the passenger facet of the Volkswagen moments later after which shortly returning to the place the combat was happening.

Patricia instructed KTLA that her purse not solely contained her driver’s license and bank cards, but in addition $3,000 in money, cash she was going to make use of to pay lease, payments and purchase some Christmas presents.

It’s unclear if the individuals accused within the assault have been nonetheless there when deputies arrived, however investigators have been in a position to get a license plate quantity off video offered by Citadel Retailers safety personnel.

It doesn’t seem that any arrests have been made, although the L.A. County Sheriff’s Division mentioned the matter is underneath investigation.

KTLA’s Chris Wolfe contributed to this report from Commerce.

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