Waitress Is Slain as Masked Thieves Rob Cafe--of $20
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LONG BEACH — It was for all of $20 that Kessara Pattanatanung was shot to death.
Four masked robbers entered the Thai restaurant where Pattanatanung worked and shot her in the chest Friday before rifling the cash register and fleeing, Long Beach Police said.
“They fired several times, demanded money and fired again,” Police Detective Dennis Robbins said. “It appears shots were deliberately fired at” the waitress and cook.
Pattanatanung, 29, was dead by the time police arrived at the Thai Chef Restaurant at 1460 Alamitos Ave. at 9:35 p.m. The cook, Yupha Thonginphong, 40, was shot in the face. She was treated at St. Mary Medical Center and released.
Two other employees were in the restaurant, but neither was injured.
Police issued only a bare description of the robbers as 16 to 18.
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