Woman, 69, killed by car in attempted robbery at Newport Beach’s Fashion Island

Topline:

What we know: Two people were in front of Barnes & Noble when they were approached by two men who attempted to rob them, according to authorities. There was a struggle, and one of the men ended up running away, firing a few rounds from a handgun in the process.

Police believe the woman was dragged into the street during the struggle, where she was hit by a car being driven by one of the men allegedly involved in the incident.

A third man also got into the vehicle and fled the scene, authorities said, but they’ve all been arrested in Cypress and Los Angeles County.

No one was injured in the shooting, and it’s unclear how many rounds were fired. The other person with the woman was not injured, and Newport Beach Police said there’s no threat to the community.

Earlier updates: According to CBS, firefighters said the shooting happened at around 3:30 p.m.

A bookseller at Barnes and Noble confirmed to LAist that they’ve closed the store.

Naomi Wright, one of the managers at True Food Kitchen, said the restaurant is temporarily closed because most of their staff and guests left when they heard the gunshots. She confirmed that the scene was mostly confined to the parking lot, which was sectioned off by police, SWAT team, and fire trucks.

Backstory on the mall: Fashion Island is a popular outdoor shopping mall in Newport Beach. It’s the site of numerous big department stores. It’s not the first time Fashion Island’s had a shooting.

The Fashion Island mall area.

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Courtesy Map Data 2024 Google

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