Orange County, California – A 69-year-old woman was killed in an attempted robbery at Fashion Island in Newport Beach on Tuesday afternoon.
Newport Beach is a wealthy, conservative enclave in Southern California. The broad daylight armed robbery and murder at Fashion Island rocked the laid-back beach community on Tuesday.
Three black male suspects ambushed an elderly couple standing outside of a Barnes & Noble near the parking lot of the Newport Beach mall.
The three assailants jumped out of a white sedan to rob the woman.
The 69-year-old woman, identified as Patricia McKay, was run over and killed by the suspects as they drove off in a getaway car after the botched robbery.
A Good Samaritan jumped in to help the robbery victims and that is when one of the robbers opened fire. According to police, three shots were fired but no one was struck by the gunfire.
Newport Beach police pursued the suspects to Los Angeles. All three suspects were arrested.
The suspects were transported to the Newport Beach PD jail and identified as: Leroyernest Joseph McCrary, 26, of Compton, California, Jaden Cunningham, 18, of Lancaster, CA, and Malachi Eddward Darnell, 18, of Los Angeles, California.
All three suspects were booked for homicide, robbery with firearm, and conspiracy. The incident is still under investigation.
Patricia McKay and her husband were visiting Newport Beach from New Zealand.
“Frankly, to hell with these guys. They came to our city knowing they were going to commit a crime and a woman is dead because of this,” Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill said on Tuesday after the gruesome murder. “These are thugs and every community is now dealing with this.”
“Frankly, to hell with these guys.” Angry reactions from Newport Beach’s mayor after an armed robbery crew runs over a 69-year-old woman, killing her during a botched robbery attempt at Fashion Island. The new investigation clues – Tonight at 11 from ABC7 https://t.co/dqrwmSKmOJ pic.twitter.com/X5w1roXkil
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) July 3, 2024
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