WEST COVINA — A tourist from Hong Kong died after being wounded in the head during a robbery in a parking lot Friday after eating lunch with his brother, authorities said.
Sheron Khemlani, 28, died at a hospital following the attack and robbery, West Covina police Cpl. Rudy Lopez said.
The attack was first reported to police about 2:30 p.m. in the 100 block of North Barranca Avenue, in a parking lot shared by several restaurants just north of the San Bernardino (10) Freeway, according to police Lt. David Lee.
The vacationing victim had just eaten lunch with his brother at a nearby restaurant when they were approached by two assailants, described only as male, Lopez said.
“As the two were returning to their vehicle, which was parked in the middle of the parking lot, two suspect assaulted then robbed them,” according to Lopez.
Due to the ongoing investigation, police Lt. Dennis Patton said investigators declined to discuss what property the brothers were robbed of.
Rescuers took Khemlani to a Los Angeles trauma center, where he died a short time later, officials said.
Though the incident was initially reported as a stabbing, it was not clear what type of wound the man had suffered, Lt. Dennis Patton said. An autopsy will be carried out by coroner’s investigators to determine his cause of death.
The brother was hospitalized with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
The killers were last seen running to a waiting vehicle also parked in the parking lot, Lopez said. It was described only as a four-door car.
“The investigation is continuing and robbery appears to be the motive,” Lee said.
Further details or a description of the attackers was not available Saturday.
“We’re in the infancy stages of the investigation,” Patton said.
Any witnesses or anyone who was in the area where the attack took place, near Carino’s, Chipotle, Islands or Ono Hawaiian restaurants between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Friday was asked to contact West Covina police Detective Karmann at 626-939-8576. Tips can also be submitted anonymously via the West Covina Police Department’s tip hotline at 626-939-8688.