Woman Robbed By Gunman Flees into Langer's Deli

LOS ANGELES, CA — Police are investigating a robbery in MacArthur Park that sent a woman running into nearby Langer's Deli for help Thursday,

The incident happened the same week that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass met with the owner of Langer's Deli, who said rampant crime in the area might force the iconic LA business to shutter its doors.

The Los Angeles Police Department said the victim was attending a swap meet Thursday when a male suspect attacked her and grabbed her necklace.

SEE ALSO: Iconic Deli Could Close If Safety Issues Downtown Don't Improve

The robbery occurred around 2:10 p.m. near Bonita's swap meet on the 700 block of South Alvarado Street, by the Westlake/MacArthur Park metro station.

The woman struggled with the suspect after he grabbed her necklace but backed off when she saw he had a gun, LAPD Media Relations told City News Service.

The suspect, wearing a gray hoodie and pants, fled northbound on Alvarado Street, police said.

An Instagram user posted a video of a crowd in the store, saying, "While we were waiting in line @langersdeli, a woman was assaulted and robbed in front of us."

The restaurant's Instagram account reposted the story.

Norm Langer, owner of the iconic deli, is considering closing up shop after nearly eight decades of the family business due to safety concerns about the neighborhood, he recently told the Los Angeles Times.

The 79-year-old has tried to convince city leaders to clean the streets and make MacArthur Park not just a safe place but a destination, Langer told columnist Steve Lopez, adding he has yet to see the increased police presence, social services outreach and better lighting the area needs. Located at South Alvarado and Seventh streets, Langer’s is directly across from the park.

His complaints range from robbery to fentanyl users littering the nearby alley.

Local City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez in a prepared statement told KTLA the city is bringing a street medicine team to the neighborhood and a full-time cleaning team, in addition to considering expanding the park by closing Wilshire Boulevard. Money from the city’s Opioid Settlement Fund will help address the drug problems, she said.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Anna Schier contributed to this report.