A 72-year-old Iranian-
American was fatally
shot in his Los Angeles shop last week by three suspected gang members after they tried to rob his 98-cent store.
Iranian-born Fereidoun Kohanim, known by locals as a “calm, good man,” was shot in the back of the head after three alleged gang members entered his Pico Union shop in an attempted robbery.
On December 21 at 4:10 p.m., three alleged gang members entered Kohanim’s store on Venice Boulevard. They left empty-handed after shooting Kohainim, who was rushed to California Hospital Medical Center where he died the following day.
According to the Los Angeles Times, surveillance footage shows the suspects surrounded Kohanim and his wife, who was behind the counter with her husband. One of the suspects, who was dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt, pointed a gun at Kohanim from across the counter. As Kohanim tried to strike the gun from his hand, his wife ran to the back—where the couple’s two sons were—to hide.
Los Angeles police said another suspect tried to stab Kohanim from behind. But, when the shop owner turned around to defend himself, the gunman fired a fatal shot into the back of Kohanim’s head.
“This was a very sad and senseless crime,” Capt. Raymond Maltez told the Los Angeles Times. “We’re going to do everything we can to get these cowards arrested.”
Kohanim and his family emigrated from Iran 15 years ago; they opened their 98-cent store a few years after arriving in America.
Despite his Iranian background and his thick Farsi accent, local business owners and regular customers said they knew Kohanim was a good man. He let nearby taco truck workers use his bathroom and gave local children treats for free when they came into his store.
Tommy Baldi, 53, a nearby business owner, recalled hearing Kohanim’s son crying as the young man charged into traffic after the shooting, nearly being hit by the passing cars. “I saw his son walking on the street screaming. He said, ‘My dad, my dad, my dad,’ and then I took [his] hands and I took him back to the store. His family was inconsolable,” Baldi, who was choking back tears, told the Los Angeles Times. “That poor man didn’t deserve this.”
Mari Mendez, 32, who works inside a local taco truck, expressed her sorrow for Ko-hanim’s death. She told the Los Angeles Times that it was difficult to communicate with Ko-hanim because of the language barriers, but said the two looked out for each other; Kohanim allowed the truck’s employees to use his restroom, and, in return, they kept an eye on his store after he went home.
The family released a statement late Tuesday saying Kohanim “was known in the community as a warm, passionate and hard working man who was always willing to lend a helping hand. We are devastated by this sudden loss and we will always remember him as the greatest father anyone could ask for.”
A fund for the family has been created and can be found at: www.FredsFamilyFund.com. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is searching for the three suspects. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the LAPD at (877) LAPD-24-7 or (877) 527-3247.
