October 1, 2022, was a normal day for Fashion District vendor Du “Tommy” Lee, but sadly, that marked his last day alive. The 56-year-old Los Angeles shopkeeper was fatally stabbed in the chest by a teen who tried to rob him of a wig.
It all started when a boyfriend and girlfriend duo, both 17 years old, walked into Lee’s store pretending to shop for items. Not long after, they stole a wig and ran into the street with Lee running after them.
According to witnesses, Lee and one of the shoplifters wrestled for a gun when he caught up to them near the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Wall Street. While this was ongoing, the other teen “pulled out a knife and shanked him right in the heart.”
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Undoubtedly, this caused a severe and fatal injury, which eventually led to his death. Before this incident, Lee, a Korean immigrant, was a resident of his district for almost 20 years. He was a popular local vendor, and the people around loved him.
Therefore, everyone around him tried to ensure he got some justice, even in death. “Mr. Lee was killed in the middle of the day on a busy street in downtown L.A. while simply trying to run his business.” District Attorney George Gascón said in the October press release last year.
In addition, “His death is a tremendous loss for his friends, family, and all who knew him. I want to make it clear that my office will work diligently to hold accountable individuals who engage in violent acts – even if they are minors.”
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Therefore, the authorities caught the teenagers and charged them to court not long after. The court also hid both of their names from the public due to their minor status
Recently, one of the two minors pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter. This is because the maximum sentence available for that charge for a minor is five years in a secure youth treatment facility. So, that was the sentence for the first teen.
As for the other teen, the court set another date within the next two weeks for their hearing and sentencing. So far, Lee’s loved ones aren’t happy with how things are going. According to California’s Proposition 21, minors accused of murder, certain sex crimes, and other violent crimes will automatically be tried as adults.
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However, it seems like the court is downgrading these teens’ charges on purpose. This is because they’re not trying them as adults. Chaerin Lee, the late store owner’s daughter, also spoke on the challenges her father faced before his death. According to her, he had a lot of robberies but he confronted the thieves everytime.
She said he was “beaten with a golf club” once, and another time, he got beat by multiple men. He also obtained several injuries, such as a broken nose and a fractured arm, from this incident.
Chaerin always told her father to let these thieves be, but he was persistent. It wasn’t until after his death that she finally understood why he always fought against them.
According to a neighboring resident, Lee stood up to the thieves in order to protect not just his store but also to make sure thieves thought twice before coming around that district all the time. Lee’s bravery did not go unnoticed; many people fondly hold his memory and hope justice will prevail.
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