A man armed with a knife was shot and killed by a customer with a concealed carry permit inside Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que in Cerritos on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred around 2:12 p.m. in the 11300 block of South Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The man entered the restaurant, ran through the kitchen and service areas, and was confronted by the armed customer, who had a concealed carry permit. The customer reportedly asked the man to drop the knife, but the man allegedly charged at him, prompting the customer to shoot. Deputies found the man suffering from a gunshot wound and lacerations, and he was pronounced dead at the scene by Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel. The customer who shot him remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation.
Witnesses described the man as having stabbed himself before entering the restaurant. One employee told ABC7 that the man had his throat slit and was holding a knife when he ran into the dining area. The employee compared the man’s behavior to a horror film character, stating that he charged at the armed customer despite being told to drop the weapon. Another witness, Magaly Zacarias, told ABC7 that she saw the man driving recklessly into the plaza before abandoning his vehicle and running into the restaurant with a knife. She also noted blood inside the car.
An off-duty officer was present during the incident but did not fire their weapon. Homicide investigators and sheriff’s deputies are continuing the investigation, with the restaurant blocked off as part of the process.