May 24, 2007

Restaurant Owner Killed in Koreatown

Los Angeles: A man walked into a Koreatown restaurant yesterday afternoon, May 22, and shot the 52-year-old owner. The gunman then turned the gun on himself.

"Detectives believe the motive behind the murder-suicide was some kind of domestic triangle, between the suspect, the victim, and the suspect’s wife," said LAPD spokesperson Lieutenant Paul Vernon.

The shooting occurred around 4:50 p.m., at the Suhrabal restaurant, located in the 100 block of South Western Avenue. Sae Kyoon Na, 47, walked into the restaurant and argued with the owner, Hyo Jin Lim. Witnesses described hearing several shots as they ran out of the restaurant.

When police entered the building minutes later, they found both men dead from gunshot wounds to the head. Paramedics pronounced both men dead at the scene.

Detectives do not believe any other suspects were involved, and no one else was injured in the incident.

A semi-automatic handgun was recovered at the scene. Detectives will examine the weapon to verify its suspected connection to Sae Kyoon Na.