Teen Arrested in Connection with Hit-and-Run Death of Good Samaritan

Authorities have arrested a teenager in relation to the death of a man who was fatally injured in a hit-and-run incident while intervening in a shoplifting case. The 16-year-old, whose identity has not been disclosed due to his age, is suspected of driving the vehicle that struck Kourosh "Steve" Yaghoubi, a 60-year-old man, on April 9 in South El Monte, California. The police noted that they continue to investigate the other individuals who accompanied the teenager.

On the day of the incident, Yaghoubi was assisting his brother at their family store, the Giant Discount Store, when a shoplifter exited with a package of surgical masks worth $10. It remains unknown if the teenage driver was in the store at that moment. Following the shoplifter, Yaghoubi and his brother confronted the individual in the parking lot, which led to a violent altercation as two men exited a nearby vehicle to attack Yaghoubi. Eyewitness reports indicated that one of the men punched Yaghoubi, causing him to fall.

As the confrontation escalated, the teenager allegedly drove the car that hit Yaghoubi multiple times while the group quickly fled the scene. The police stated that the incident was intentional, resulting in Yaghoubi suffering severe injuries. His brother, John Yaghoubi, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, mentioning his family's ongoing grief from a previous loss. When first responders arrived, they discovered Yaghoubi unconscious and suffering from blunt force trauma; he was pronounced dead at the scene. The case has now been forwarded to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges.