A tourist from New Zealand was tragically killed during a robbery attempt outside the Fashion Island Mall in Newport Beach, California, on Tuesday. The incident led to a dramatic police chase that ended with the arrest of three suspects.
Patricia McKay, 68, was with her husband near the Barnes & Noble store around 3:30 p.m. when they were approached by two male suspects. The Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) reported that one of the suspects brandished a gun, leading to a struggle. During the altercation, McKay was dragged into the parking lot, and several shots were fired, though no one was hit by the bullets.
The situation escalated when a third suspect, driving a white Toyota Camry, ran over McKay. Her husband was not injured in the incident. NBPD Sgt. Steve Oberon explained, “One of the suspects ran while the vehicle fled and actually struck the female victim. The male suspect that ran got back into the vehicle at which point some rounds were fired from a handgun and the vehicle fled the scene.”
The suspects then fled northbound towards Los Angeles, initiating a police chase. Aerial footage from Fox 11 Los Angeles showed one suspect fleeing into a residential neighborhood in South Gate. A witness directed police to the suspect’s location between two homes. The suspect eventually emerged shirtless, surrendered to the police, and was taken into custody.
The other two suspects continued driving the Camry into Los Angeles County, where they abandoned the car and were later apprehended by police. Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill condemned the suspects, calling them “creeps” and expressing his outrage over the “stunning, staggering” attack. “Newport Beach is a safe community, and we’re mourning the loss of someone,” O’Neill said. “Frankly, to hell with these guys… these are thugs. Every community is now dealing with this. We have to do better as a society. We cannot tolerate this.”
The suspects were identified as Jaden Cunningham, 18, of Lancaster; Malachi Eddward Darnell, 18, of Los Angeles; and Leroyernest Joseph McCrary, 26, of Compton. All three were booked on suspicion of homicide, robbery with a firearm, and conspiracy.
A delivery driver who witnessed the aftermath described the scene as unusual for the area. “I was driving into the atrium entrance and suddenly I found someone on the ground and someone was giving CPR,” Esamaiel Hamad told Fox 11. “This never happens here, like I rarely see a cop car here, only security guards.”
The violent series of events began after 3:30 p.m. when the three men attempted to rob McKay and her husband in front of Barnes & Noble. “There was a struggle, and at which point, we believe the suspects dragged her into the street,” Sgt. Oberon said. As the suspects tried to escape, two of them got into a white sedan while another fled on foot, firing his weapon multiple times.
The suspects’ car struck McKay as they sped away, killing her. The group traveled more than 30 miles from the Newport Beach mall and ended up in South Gate near Harding Avenue and Paramount Boulevard near the 105 Freeway. Police said two of the suspects ditched their car in the South Gate neighborhood, became separated, and started running. They were eventually taken into custody.
A third person was arrested in Cypress, roughly halfway between South Gate and Newport Beach. The Newport Beach Fire Department reported that a person was found dead in the parking lot adjacent to the bookstore. Authorities notified nearby residents around 4 p.m. to avoid the shopping plaza as they investigated. Police were seen on site guiding the public to safety, and helicopters were flying overhead.
A woman who was shopping in the area at the time described the situation as a “hullabaloo.” She said she was from Los Angeles and was thankful that police responded quickly. A young man who asked not to be identified said he was at Cucina Enoteca in Fashion Island when the incident occurred. “About 20 people were running and screaming, ‘Someone’s shooting!’ They locked us in the restaurant,” he said.
“This doesn’t happen in Newport Beach,” Mayor O’Neill told KCAL-TV News. “Fashion Island is an incredibly safe place. This is a tragedy, and I’m furious.”
The suspects were identified as 26-year-old Leroyernest Joseph McCrary of Compton; 18-year-old Jaden Cunningham of Lancaster; and 18-year-old Malachi Edward Darnell of Los Angeles. All three were booked on suspicion of homicide, robbery with a firearm, and conspiracy.
McCrary, who also goes by the name LeRoy Ernest McCrary, has a history of crimes in L.A. County. He was arrested and charged in October 2022 with being a narcotics addict in possession of a firearm, a felony. He pleaded no contest to that felony charge the following October. McCrary also was charged in a robbery case in September 2023 and pleaded no contest. He received a concurrent sentence for both convictions and got two years of probation and three years in state prison, with the sentence suspended. McCrary also was arrested on suspicion of driving with a suspended license in both 2018 and 2021.
The shooting occurred just after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at what is known as a usually peaceful shopping center that sits on a bluff above the ocean in the wealthy coastal community. The Newport Beach Fire Department reported that a person was found dead in the parking lot adjacent to the bookstore.
Authorities notified nearby residents around 4 p.m. to avoid the shopping plaza as they investigated. Police were seen on site guiding the public to safety, and helicopters were flying overhead.
A woman who was shopping in the area at the time described the situation as a “hullabaloo.” She said she was from Los Angeles and was thankful that police responded quickly. A young man who asked not to be identified said he was at Cucina Enoteca in Fashion Island when the incident occurred. “About 20 people were running and screaming, ‘Someone’s shooting!’ They locked us in the restaurant,” he said.
“This doesn’t happen in Newport Beach,” Mayor O’Neill told KCAL-TV News. “Fashion Island is an incredibly safe place. This is a tragedy, and I’m furious.”
Source: Fox News, DailyMail.com, Los Angeles Times
