Photos of the suspected shooter in a baffling and deadly series of 7-Eleven robberies around Southern California have been released by police.
In five hours on Monday, police believe the same man attacked six different 7-Eleven stores; the date was 7/11, which is when the company has its anniversary festivities. The individual in a mask and black and green sweatshirt first ambushed a store in Ontario around midnight; 45 minutes later, he robbed an Upland store, and an hour after that, the gunman appeared at a Riverside 7-Eleven.
Another shooting occurred around 3:20 a.m. in Santa Ana. There, officers found a man dead in the 7-Eleven parking lot. The victim did not work at the store, and surveillance video shows the suspect dropping items — believed to be the victim’s belongings while fleeing, police said.
By the night’s end, the suspect had robbed stores in Brea, Ontario, Upland, Riverside, Santa Ana and La Habra, killing overnight clerk Matthew Hirsch, 40, in Brea and Matthew Rule, 24, in Santa Ana. Three more people were shot and wounded but survived. Two of the survivors were shot at a La Habra store and one in Riverside.
Following the deadly robberies, 7-Eleven Inc. urged Los Angeles-area stores to close Monday and Tuesday nights for safety. Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback said it doesn’t seem coincidental that 7-Eleven was targeted on 7/11, although law enforcement doesn’t yet know the motive of the suspect.
7-Eleven is offering $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. “Tipsters may remain anonymous by contacting Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS,” the company said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.