Efrain Leyva, 54

Efrain Leyva, 54, a Latino man, was fatally shot outside his wholesale store at 918 Long Beach Ave. in downtown Los Angeles Friday, May 23.

According to the L.A. County Coroner's Department, Leyva was shot in the leg and head. His time of death is listed as 6:09 p.m.

Leyva's store is in the Warehouse District, near the Los Angeles Times printing facility. Leyva was closing his business when he was shot, according to a customer who emailed the Homicide Report.

It's unclear whether the suspect or suspects were planning to rob Leyva. Homicide detectives with LAPD's Newton Division are investigating.

Nearby workers described Leyva as a kind and hard-working man who treated everyone equally. The owner of a taco stand where Leyva often ate said he was surprised to hear about his death. He said Leyva just didn't seem the type to have enemies.

A sign left outside of the store for shoppers after the incident said the store would open again on Monday, June 2. It had been torn and left scattered on the sidewalk.

Photo: Above Leyva's wholesale store. To the right, a sign telling shoppers when the store would reopen.

Comments

[Hugo]

Wow, this is awful and scary. I was mere feet from this place at around 10pm, and I had no idea any of this had taken place. In fact, Little Radio hosted a show that night, and I don't think any of its patrons had any idea what went down there.

My sympathy goes out to the family.

[GOSATOYS]

EFRAIN LEYVA WAS A GOOD MAN AND WILL BE MISSED GOD BLESS HIS FAMILY

[Reyna]

OMG!!! my mother and i would go here to buy our store eggs. This is very sad. I remember a few times talking to the man. My sorrow goes to the family..

[Ortega]

Que Descanse en paz. What a cowardly murder. Leyva was a hard-working businessman that was kind to all and able to succeed in life demonstrating a wonderful success story a Mexican immigrant.