See also: Marijuana Dispensary Robbery Suspect Riddles LAPD Car With Bullets (PHOTO).

Suspects like Kirkham Gastelum are the reason LAPD and and some leaders at City Hall don't think too highly of L.A.'s many marijuana dispensaries. It's not the retailers' fault, but drugs and cash can attract some real bad characters.

Gastelum is allegedly one of them. Prosecutors this week charged him with opening fire on cops following a pot-shop robbery and subsequent police chase:

The L.A. County District Attorney's office this week charged the 30-year-old with “two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer, two counts of second-degree robbery, one count of second-degree commercial burglary and two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon,” according to a statement.


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On Monday, prosecutors say, Gastelum and co-defendent Tyler Gilson, 23, robbed a dispensary in the 7300 block of Reseda Boulevard, taking cash and weed, before fleeing in an SUV that was soon spotted by an LAPD helicopter.

Officers on the ground gave chase and Gastelum allegedly hopped out after the SUV paused and opened fire, riddling a police cruiser with bullets. He fled but was captured that night, police said.

Gilson drove off and crashed the SUV nearby, prosecutors said, making it easy for cops to collar him.

An officer was injured by flying glass in the shooting.

The D.A.'s office asked for $2.4 million bail for Gastelum. He faces life behind bars if successfully prosecuted.

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