3 hours Ago By KABC
A 16-year-old boy was arrested Friday in connection to the death of a store employee who was run over and killed when trying to stop a robbery at his brother's store in South El Monte. According to the Los Angeles Sheriff's department, the juvenile was identified as the driver of the get-away car that ultimately killed Kourosh "Steve" Yaghoubi. The investigation is ongoing as investigators try to identify several other suspects who were seen in the vehicle during and after the fatal incident.
The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for their consideration of filing charges on the juvenile subject, whose identity was not released. The fatal incident happened April 9 outside Giant Discount Store located at 2039 Durfee Avenue, which the victim's brother owns, at around 12:18 p.m.
, according to authorities. The victim, who was identified by family members as Steve Yaghoubi, often helped his brother Jim Yaghoubi at the store. The suspect reportedly asked the victim for a box of masks worth $10 and then walked out without paying.
Steve and Jim followed the suspect into the parking lot and a physical altercation took place, the LASD said. "Doors open, two other guys exit the car, and one of them punches my brother in the head, he holds his head and he goes down," said Jim. The three men then got back into the car and ran over Steve, first as they backed out of the parking space and again as they sped off.
"The body under the car was turning, all the way from the front tire to the back tire," said Jim, who watched his brother's life be taken away. "I don't know why this happened. Honestly.
I was there at the last minute of his life. I saw his face. I saw his eyes," Jim added.
Steve was pronounced dead at the scene. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the LASD's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500..
