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Police: Man Fatally Shot While Struggling With Armed Robbery Suspect In Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — Authorities say a man was killed while grappling with the gun of a suspected thief in Hollywood.

LAPD officer Nuria Vanegas of the Media Relations Section told City News Service that officers were notified of an attempted robbery near Rosewood Avenue and Heliotrope Drive about 3 a.m. Saturday.

"The suspect and the victim became engaged in a struggle for the gun. During the struggle, the gun actually went off. The victim was shot and the suspect left the scene," Vanegas told KNX 1070's Ed Mertz.

Police: Man Dies During Apparent Struggle With Armed Robbery Suspect In Hollywood

The officer told the wire service that witnesses described the suspect to police as a man in his mid-20s.

The victim has been identified as 38-year-old Alexander Garcia of Los Angeles.

Police said Garcia and a friend were standing outside a residence when the suspect approached and pointed a gun at them. He said he took off running when Garcia and the suspect started to grapple.

The friend told police he returned to the scene after he heard gunfire and found his friend wounded.

Garcia was pronounced dead at the scene.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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