Man and his dog hospitalized after shooting in Hollywood Hills robbery

Three men and a woman were arrested today after a man and his dog were shot and injured during a home-invasion robbery in the Hollywood Hills, police said.

Investigators said three of the suspects forced their way into a home in the 8200 block of Mannix Drive at about 1:40 a.m. while the fourth waited inside a getaway car, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement.

They ordered the victim to open a safe and took large quantities of cash, the statement said. It was not immediately clear what prompted the suspects to open fire.

The man was shot through the neck and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, said Lt. Bob Binder, of the LAPD’s Hollywood division.

His dog, a boxer-Weimaraner mix named Aslan (the name of the lion in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe") was shot through the ear and in the shoulder, Binder said. It was taken to an emergency veterinary clinic, where it was undergoing surgery.

The man’s wife and newborn baby were in the house at the time of the robbery but were not harmed, police said. A number of witnesses who called 911 said they heard several gunshots and then saw a white Dodge Charger leaving the scene.

As officers arrived, they saw a car matching the description and chased it until the car crashed near Pico Boulevard and Hauser Avenue, the statement said.

The suspects fled on foot, scattering cash as they went, according to TV news reports . LAPD’s Wilshire area patrol, Metropolitan Division and K-9 units were called in to search for the four suspects, who were taken into custody without incident, the LAPD said.

Police recovered evidence at the scene and were searching for the suspects’ weapons.

“LAPD Hollywood area detectives would like to thank all the witnesses who called 911 with critical information on the suspects’ vehicle description, which led to the arrest of all suspects involved,” the statement read.

-- Andrew Blankstein and Alexandra Zavis

Comments

[pasadena jag]

One reason not to live in Los Angeles.

[Joe Poe]

If the bad guys have no priors, I think they deserve 25 years for this....if they have extensive rap sheets -- life.

[pitbullstew]

what did the dog ever do to them ? I hope they get the book thrown at em for that !

[cs]

So, so sad to do this to a family, and for what? Good thing for the vigilance of the neighbors.

[LagunaK]

Terrible... hope they both make out OK. Just goes to show ya that most robberies are by someone who knows you or at least is familiar with what you have going on - I'd be surprised if these people were not some sort of business associates, knowing the victim kept large amounts of cash at home. That mattress just isn't very safe any more.

[Joe]

Let's hope the owner and his dog fully recover, and the perpetrators spend the next 20 years or so in prison.

[Real-T]

Great work LAPD.

[Enforcer]

Obviously this begs the question as to how the suspects knew that the victim had a safe full of cash in his home, but maybe there are really some random victims of home invasions in L.A. That being said, great job by the officers in catching the suspects. See what happens when neighbors drop a dime and provide useful information to the police? Pico-Hauser? Sounds like yet another South Central, err, South Los Angeles robbery crew were heading back to the 'hood. Maybe they needed the cash for Christmas shopping. I am sure the suspects are just desperate victims of this tough economy and would otherwise be law-abiding, hard working tax payers. Pending eventual conviction maybe Arnold can grant them all an early release so they can plan their next caper.

[Mark]

I am glad to hear that the owner of the house is doing fine after the surgery.
on the other hand, these crooks are bunch of amateurs... now each faces at least 25 to life. was it worth it? hardly...

[What The]

Why would they shoot the dog? Sheesh!

[Joseph]

I heard the chase from my apartment last night, a cacophony of sirens and cars flying down Crescent Heights. I was itching to know what was going on, and I'm very happy to know that they caught these pathetic criminals. I hope they throw the book at them. Of course they must have known the victim, or had a connection to him somehow.

[Gaucho420]

In my opinion, crime like this wehre they could have easily killed someone deserve to end up in the death penalty.

They made a choice to potentialy kill someone for their money, that THEY EARNED, these people should simply be brought out back and shot.

[Ernie]

If these 4 aren't perfect candidates for the new reality TV show "Firing Squad", then who are? In this show those convicted of shooting people, aiding and abetting those who shoot people, use a firearm in a criminal act in which innocents are injured, are strapped to a post in a public courtyard, the firing squad aims, fires, and shoots them dead. Sponsored by the NRA and the Ad Counceil of America: "Shhot First and Be Shot Later"

[107street]

this is one reason why legal gun ownership is mandatory. The California gun laws do not apply to criminal. The laws (the worst behind mass ) are basically there to discourage law abiding citizens,from attempting to get a GUN LICENSE. I wish coward would break into my house only to be face with a glock 21 45 acp ( OWNED LEGALLY)...PS 107VERSIDEHARD IS OUT

[the_turk]

@pasadena this can happen anywhere, you do know that right?

[Andy]

First poster says, "One reason not to live in Los Angeles. "? As though crime doesn't happen in other cities large and small? Besides, there are a lot better reasons not to live in LA.

[Moongoose_King]

We should have pictures of this brave dog. if this guy had owned a tiny pooch he would be dead.

[Brad]

Begs the question why someone is keeping lots of cash in a safe in their house(drugs maybe?). Obviously someone tipped off these people that there was money in the hoouse!!

[tomK]

If you have cash and a safe at home, be quiet about it, and wire the house with a silent alarm with a panic button. Give them what they want if they get in, no amount of $ is worth your life. I can't believe the dirt bags shot the dog. Home invasion robbery with a gun should be automatic 20 years, no parole

[Bradley]

If this moderated and approved, how come there are so many typos? That being said, the police did their job ... Hooray for them!

[sand in my toes at the cove]

Some people are pretty naive to think that the victim must have known or are acquainted with the perpetrators.

Burglars are on the prowl in nicer neighborhoods in greater numbers since the recession began. Read the daily crime logs in the local paper, and don't be surprised to see less crime (violent and non-violent) in Carson than in the "safer", "better" cities. I've seen so many suspicious people driving around my neighborhood (by the beach) over and over and over again, and in the past month there have been more than 4 break-ins in a quarter-mile radius from where I live!

Be vigilant and report suspicious behavior when you see it. I bet that the white Dodge Caravan had circled the victim's neighborhood for weeks before this happened.

[Bill J.]

First, let's hope the man and dog live long lives. Next the robbers should not see the light of day again in their lives. No excuses for there behavior, at all.

Good job to LAPD and the citizens who made the calls-solid team work.

[Cheddman]

SO glad to hear those four are caught and going down. People who would do such a thing don't deserve their freedom.

Thanks LAPD, thanks involved neighbors.

[woody]

I wish the cops could just shoot people like that.

[rsc (jake)]

Poor dog? OMG people the dude got shot, too! Dog's are meant for home protection; dog did what it was supposed to do, and took a bullet in the process. Only in L.A. will people mourn the dog more than the human...