LOS ANGELES (AP) - A man accused of shooting at police before taking hostages during a deadly standoff at a Los Angeles grocery in July is expected in court Wednesday.
An arraignment is set in Los Angeles County Superior Court for Gene Evin Atkins. The 28-year-old is charged with murder in the death of a Trader Joe’s store employee who was hit by an officer’s bullet during a police gun battle with Atkins.
Atkins also is charged with kidnapping and carjacking.
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Police say Atkins shot his grandmother and kidnapped his girlfriend before leading officers on a chase that ended with a crash outside the Trader Joe’s.
Los Angeles police Chief Michel Moore has defended the decision to use deadly force as an attempt to stop what officers feared could become a mass shooting.
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