The elderly owner of a discount store who was shot during an attempted robbery died today. The three men responsible for his death still remain at large.


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The shooting occurred at 4:10 p.m. December 21 at Freidoun Kohainim's 98-Cent store at 1316 West Venice Boulevard near downtown Los Angeles. According to police reports, the three men walked into the store, and demanded money from Kohainim. Then, one of the suspects pointed a chrome-plated handgun at 72-year-old Kohainim who tried to wrestle the gun away. He was shot in the back of the head in front of his wife. He died at California Hospital Medical Center earlier today.

According to media reports, Kohainim's two sons were working in the back of the store at the time of the shooting.

The family had recently moved to Los Angeles from Iran.

The suspects are described as a male Hispanic wearing a black Hoodie sweatshirt, another male Hispanic wearing a grey Hoodie sweatshirt, and a third man of unknown ethnicity wearing a grey long-sleeve pullover shirt with a black beanie knit cap. All three also appeared to be wearing black knit gloves.

Anyone with information about the shooting should contact Rampart Division detectives at (213) 484-3450.

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