Man Accused In Fatal 2018 Trader Joe's Shooting Found Competent To Stand Trial
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A judge Monday found a man charged in connection with a fatal shooting at a Silver Lake Trader Joe's in 2018 is competent to stand trial.
Gene Evin Atkins, 31, previously pleaded not guilty to murder in the killing of Melyda "Mely" Maricela Corado.
According to prosecutors, Atkins set off a chain of events July 21, 2018 that led to the death of Corado, who was fatally shot by a police officer in front of the store in the 2700 block of Hyperion Avenue.
Though he was not the person who fatally shot Corado, Atkins was charged with her killing under the theory that he triggered the events that led to the 27-year-old assistant manager's death — including allegedly shooting his 76-year-old grandmother and 17-year-old girlfriend in South Los Angeles before taking his grandmother's vehicle and leading police on a wild chase.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in December said it would not be filing charges against the officers involved, stating that they were "justified in using deadly force in an attempt to stop" Atkins.
Corado's family, who in 2018 filed a wrongful death suit, have publicly asked District Attorney George Gascón, who was sworn in after the finding was made, to reevaluate whether the officers acted lawfully.
Atkins is also facing 50 other charges, including attempted murder, attempted murder of a peace officer, assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm, kidnapping, fleeing a pursuing peace officer's motor vehicle while driving recklessly, grand theft of an automobile, discharge of a firearm with gross negligence, shooting at an occupied motor vehicle, false imprisonment of a hostage and mayhem.
A pretrial hearing has been set for for July 22.
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