Employee Locks Murder Suspect Inside Garden Grove Tea Shop

ORANGE COUNTY (CBSLA.com) — A quick-thinking woman cornered a murder suspect Friday inside an Orange County tea shop.

According to the Garden Grove Police Department, officers were sent regarding suspicious circumstances at 11:01 a.m. to the Volcano Tea House located in the 10100 block of Garden Grove Boulevard.

A woman reportedly had shown up to work and saw a man she didn't recognize, later identified as 20-year-old Robert Gabriel Rodgers, indicating for her to be quiet and come inside.

Investigators said she stepped back, locked Rodgers inside and called police.

Authorities said they arrived to find that Rodgers had stabbed a cleaning worker to death.

According to police, Rodgers was located in the front of the business, and was detained without incident.

CBS2/KCAL9's Brittney Hopper spoke with Kristina Vo, who works next door: "I can't imagine someone so dangerous being so close to you."

"It's really scary working here knowing that happened."

People in the area said the owner of Volcano Tea also owns a restaurant in the same Garden Grove plaze. He said the employee who locked the door is named Jessie.

Vo and others who work nearby called Jessie a hero.

"Luckily, she got out OK and she notified the cops...What if someone else got hurt," Vo said.

Police aren't releasing the victim's name or the motive for the alleged attack.

Rodgers was taken into custody on suspicion of murder and was later booked at the Orange County Jail.