WESTCHESTER, Calif. (KTLA) — Police are searching for two armed robbers after an scary hostage situation at a Nordstrom Rack in Westchester.
It all started shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday, as employees were closing the store for the night.
The husband or boyfriend of a woman who works at the store called 911. She had called him to say that there were two men with guns inside the store.
When officers arrived at the Promenade at Howard Hughes Center, they saw a black male coming out of the store, LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman said.
They attempted to make contact with the man, and he looked at the officers and then ran back inside.
Moments later, they saw another man come out, accompanied by a woman.
“He then looked in the officers’ direction, grabbed that female and forced her back into the location,” Neiman said.
SWAT officers surrounded the shopping center and closed off the area.
After a couple hours, they were able to make entry into the store and found 14 hostages inside — 13 women and one man.
Many were forced into a storage room by the suspects, according to Neiman. A couple of other hostages were found hiding inside a bathroom.
At least one of the victims suffered a stab wound, but it was non-life-threatening, police said. That victim was treated and then released.
“There’s additional information that one of the victims was also sexually assaulted, and so that victim is being cared to at this time,” Neiman said.
Some of the other hostages were also pushed around and possibly pistol whipped, authorities said.
The movie theater at the shopping center was put on lockdown for more than six hours during the hostage situation.
There was a secondary crime scene at Washington Place and Glove Avenue in Culver City.
Culver City police located a vehicle that fit the description of a white SUV seen speeding away from the mall earlier.
Investigators are trying determine if the vehicle is connected to the armed robbery.
The area around the Howard Hughes Center remained shut down. Police said at 9 a.m. that they expected it to be closed about another five hours.
41 Comments to “Nordstrom Rack Hostages Safe, Suspects Sought”
January 11, 2013 at 5:00 AM
The suspects are at the local diner eating breakfast.
January 11, 2013 at 5:51 AM
Center drive remains CLOSED!!! Please update the story…people are being turned away.
January 11, 2013 at 6:03 AM
Better than being shot. Just put some tunes on and enjoy your coffee.
January 11, 2013 at 7:17 AM
No description of the suspects? Now that's strange…..
January 11, 2013 at 7:40 AM
Wth? How did they get away if supposebly swat was there? They sexually assaulted someone? So what? They get to walk in with guns and have some fun? And get away with it? This is just wrong. Very wrong.
January 11, 2013 at 8:41 AM
Lately all the sexual attacks are done by black guys
January 11, 2013 at 8:51 AM
and you white guys are watching kiddie porn and doing mass shootings go figure
January 11, 2013 at 8:58 AM
trm, what a punk you are, the crime rate in the country would go down 85% in blacks were shipped back to africa. Porch monkeys
January 11, 2013 at 9:10 AM
little do you know mikie( hey he likes it hey mikie) those africans that your ancestors brought over from africa were raped and many of your kind had them as lovers so guess what that makes you and your kind oh yeah could it be your great great grand pappys were black maybe you have some black in you or you just want some black all up in you lmao signed THE REAL MEXICAN
January 11, 2013 at 9:30 AM
Hm… wonder who's the monkey here…?!?!? I think it's you, Mikey…
January 11, 2013 at 11:57 AM
Your posts didn't make any sense Mike (don't you have a sister named Helen Hunt? That would make you Mike Hunt right? – too easy) If you're going to post nonsensical rants with racist slants that lack any bits of truths (reality) please do so on StormFront or Vanguard. Pretty sure the chaps on either website would be more inclined to give you many a yeah yeah. As Bugs Bunny once said, "what a maroon."
January 11, 2013 at 4:43 PM
What happened to the guy that was talking about doing my wife? Where did his comments go, that was truly funny, all the rest of this is stereotypical BS.
January 11, 2013 at 8:47 PM
DUH.
January 11, 2013 at 9:09 AM
I am very, very white: blonde hair and blue eyes. And I have never in my life heard anyone, friend, family, or acquaintance, say such hateful, racist remarks. "Mike" you are what is wrong with this country. TRM sorry you have to deal with ignorant people like that.
January 11, 2013 at 9:25 AM
Thanks Sara !! you sound sincere my apologies for stooping down to their level……….
January 11, 2013 at 11:44 AM
Just ignore the stupid trolls, they have been here for years and just like to see if they will get responses cause they have no life.
January 11, 2013 at 9:35 AM
If they aren’t black, why not give a description?
Whenever the media omit description of suspects or bury the story completely, it’s because the suspects are black.
Plenty of white people do crimes too but there is always some description of suspects released to public when they do.
January 12, 2013 at 9:20 AM
I think it's part of the media's agenda to stir more racial division by giving the suspect's race if he's a minority.
January 11, 2013 at 10:26 AM
The perps are obviously blacks, that's why the PC wimps at ktla won't publish a description.
January 11, 2013 at 8:51 PM
EXACTLY.
January 11, 2013 at 1:31 PM
Disgusting the country is more concerned about saving the feelings of blacks rather than report the truth!! It's no secret blacks commit 75% of crime in the U.S. Compared to the number of urban crime victims, it's nothing compared to the mass shootings.
January 11, 2013 at 3:15 PM
@VERDAD…I'm a white correctional officer and majority of crimes are committed by Hispanics and in the correctional facilities, the Hispanics out number every nationality by 75%. Do your homework.
January 12, 2013 at 9:21 AM
And most of the mass shootings are committed by whites, but whites always make excuses for them.
January 11, 2013 at 3:12 PM
I friends could not leave their place of business since 4am this morning as they work in one of the corporate building. They told me the reason it's taking so long because the Bridge is still roped off at 2:00 pm is because only one is in custody and the other guy has gotten away.
January 11, 2013 at 3:15 PM
@VERDAD…I'm a white correctional officer and majority of crimes are committed by Hispanics and in the correctional facilities, the Hispanics out number every nationality by 75%. Do your homework.
January 11, 2013 at 8:49 PM
Westchester has been WATTSCHESTER for MANY years now.
January 12, 2013 at 12:49 AM
black males. surprise surprise.
January 12, 2013 at 9:18 AM
No such street as "Glove" in Culver City. Its Globe. Do your job doofus!