One dead in shop siege after gunman shoots his own grandmother

Police say they’re investigating what drove a man to shoot his grandmother then run into a Los Angeles supermarket and hold dozens of people hostage for hours.

A young woman inside the Trader Joe’s shop was shot and killed by the suspect, police said.

The gunman later handcuffed himself in the shop in the city’s Silver Lake district on Saturday before he surrendered to police. His grandmother was in critical condition in hospital yesterday.

Police say the man shot her seven times and wounded another woman, whom he forced into a car.

Police and firefighters chased the car and exchanged gunfire with the man, who crashed into a pole outside the supermarket and ran inside.

Officers had tracked the car using a stolen-vehicle tracking system and tried to stop the man in Hollywood, but he refused to pull over, During the chase, the man fired at officers, shooting out the back window of his car.

Frightened customers and workers inside the shop dived for cover as police bullets fired at the man shattered its glass doors.

Some inside the supermarket climbed out of windows and others barricaded themselves in rooms as scores of police and firefighters and 18 ambulances arrived at the scene and prepared for mass casualties.

Heavily armed officers in riot gear lined the side of the store and used mirrors to look inside. Hostage negotiators tried to coax the man into freeing the 40 to 50 hostages and surrendering.

Police Chief Michael Moore said the gunman made a “series of demands” during the siege.

At about 6:30pm the man agreed to handcuff himself and walked out the front door, surrounded by four of the hostages. The unidentified man, who police said is about 28, was taken into custody. They said he had a wound to his arm.

Mayor Eric Garcetti congratulated police and firefighters for their work and mourned the loss of life at the Trader Joe’s where he and his wife regularly shopped when they lived in the area.

“The heroism that was shown today was second to none and the teams that were able to respond, secure the perimeter and engage in conversation with the suspect, no doubt saved lives today,” he said, adding: “Our hearts go out to everyone who has been traumatised.”

Fire officials said six people, ranging in age from 12 to 81, were taken to the hospital. None had been shot. 0 Trader Joe’s supermarket employees hug after being freed after a gunman barricaded himself inside the Los Angeles store