One Dead After Shooting at LA’s Comedy Store
The LA Times is reporting that a man was shot and killed last night at the infamous Comedy Store. He was standing on an outside patio at approximately 1am when a man opened fire. The shooter, who was wearing a hoodie fled before police arrived.
The Comedy Store will be closed tonight because of the shooting.
A representative of the Comedy Store released a statement saying, “We are shocked and saddened that something like this happened outside our venue and are doing everything possible to assist our employees, patrons and law enforcement to ensure we remain the safe and entertaining venue we have been for over four decades.”
Inside the venue, Bobby Lee, Ron White, Erik Griffin and Bret Ernst were on the bill, while The Belly Room ran its weekly Roast Battle.
The identity of the victim has not been released but he was described as a man in his 20s, but comedian run website standuptalk.com says the victim was a black name named Rich. “A black man in a hoody walked up to a black man named Rich in front of the Original Room entrance,” Stand Up Talk reports. “The man in the hoody unloaded a hand gun on Rich, shooting him several times. Screams were heard as people ran in all different directions. Erik Myers who was on stage in the Original Room at the time immediately got off stage as both audience members and staff ran in fear of it being a serial killer shooting up the place.” Stand Up Talk writers added that Rich fell to the floor still breathing, but died in a police officers arms.
Comedian Brandt Tobler posted on his facebook that he was nearby when the shooting happened. He wrote: “I have been sitting in this police station for the last 5 hours, because somebody walked up and murdered a man 10 feet away from me last night. Just shot him in the middle of the Comedy Store patio. I have never been that close to that kind of violence and it was something I will never forget. It was so scary and very sad. I guess you never know when you are going to die, but I am glad today was not my day.”
The Comedy Store will be closed tonight, October 14, 2015, because of a tragic homicide last night outside of our venue.
— The Comedy Store (@TheComedyStore) October 14, 2015
We are cooperating with law enforcement to assist their investigation in every way possible.
— The Comedy Store (@TheComedyStore) October 14, 2015
We intend to reopen very soon and will let everyone know our schedule in a timely manner.
— The Comedy Store (@TheComedyStore) October 14, 2015
We are shocked and saddened that something like this happened outside our venue and are doing everything possible to assist (cont)
— The Comedy Store (@TheComedyStore) October 14, 2015
our employees, patrons and law enforcement to ensure we remain the safe and entertaining venue we have been for over 4 decades.
— The Comedy Store (@TheComedyStore) October 14, 2015
