Fatal Newport Beach Armed Robbery Sees Tourist Couple in Crossfire

A sad day unfolded in Newport Beach, California, as an elderly woman lost her life in a tragic sequence of events, initiated by an attempted armed robbery. The victim and her husband were targeted by armed criminals outside the Fashion Island mall, in a grim scenario outlined by local police.

Two male culprits approached the couple near the Barnes and Noble bookstore at the upscale shopping center, at about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The victims didn’t stand idly by, choosing instead to defend themselves.

“Frankly, to hell with these guys. They knew exactly what they were doing.”

In the midst of the brawl, a white Toyota Camry, the perceived getaway vehicle, pulled up to the scene. In a sudden escalation, one of the suspects brandished his firearm and discharged it several times. Miraculously, no one was hit by the gunfire.

The situation took a tragic turn when, trying to make a quick escape, the driver of the Toyota Camry ran over the woman. Sgt. Steve Oberon of the Newport PD shared the devastating news, stating, “Tragically and unfortunately, she was deceased there in the roadway.”

The culprits didn’t stop there. They managed to pick up the third suspect, who had initially fled the scene, before leading the police on a high-speed chase through Los Angeles. Their speedometer reportedly hit 110 mph before they ditched the vehicle in South Gate and attempted to escape on foot.

Justice was not too far behind, however. All three suspects were apprehended and taken into custody by the police. Sgt. Oberon stated that the specific motive of the robbery, whether it was to steal jewelry or shopping bags, remained unclear at this point. “All of that will come out in the investigation,” he added. “I don’t have that information at this time.”

The swift capture of the suspects was praised by Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill. He expressed his disdain for the culprits, declaring, “You know, frankly, to hell with these guys,” O’Neill said. “They knew exactly what they were doing when they decided to come into our city to commit a crime and a woman is dead because of it.”

The deceased woman was identified as 68-year-old Patricia McKay, a tourist visiting from New Zealand. Her husband, who was thankfully unharmed in the altercation, was also a visitor.

The culprits were named as 28-year-old Leroyernest Joseph McCrary of Compton, 18-year-old Jaden Cunningham of Lancaster, and 18-year-old Malachi Darnell of Los Angeles. Rest assured, justice will be pursued, and the memory of Patricia McKay honored.

Watch a local news report about the incident below:

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