Gunman at Bellflower Nursery Killed

A gunman who barricaded himself inside a Bellflower plant nursery for more than six hours Monday died in a gun battle with sheriff’s deputies who fired tear gas and concussion grenades into the store to drive him out.

The gunman, who was not immediately identified, was killed shortly after 7 p.m. outside Anderson’s Nursery, near the intersection of Rose Street and Lakewood Boulevard, as he emerged from the building pointing a .22-caliber rifle at deputies, sheriff’s spokesman Drew Basey said.

The man had been initially approached by a deputy shortly before 1 p.m. when he was spotted walking nearby wearing a holstered handgun and carrying the rifle wrapped in a sack. Shots were exchanged and the gunman ran into the nursery.

The proprietors, a man and woman who deputies did not identify, ran out as the gunman entered, Basey said. There were no customers in the store.

The gunman, contacted by telephone, refused to surrender, and after more than a dozen grenades were fired into the shop, came out firing his rifle at sheriff’s Special Weapons Team officers.

Deputies returned fire, driving him back into the shop. More grenades were fired and the man left the store and pointed his rifle at officers, who shot and killed him, Basey said.