Trader Joe's Store Closed in Aftermath of Tragedy

A Trader Joe’s store in Los Angeles that was the scene of a deadly shooting over the weekend will be closed until further notice.

The incident at the company’s Silver Lake store July 21 involved a murder suspect who reportedly crashed his car near the store and then entered, taking 40 hostages, including customers and employees. In an exchange of gunfire with police, a Trader Joe’s manager, identified in reports as Melyda Maricela Corado, was shot and killed. The suspect was later arrested. 

“Yesterday marks the saddest day in Trader Joe’s history as we mourn the loss of one of our own,” the Monrovia, Calif.-based company said in a statement issued Sunday. “Our thoughts are with her family, and our crew members and customers who experienced this terrifying and unimaginable ordeal.

“Our Silver Lake store will remain closed until further notice to give our crew members time to process yesterday’s events. We will continue to do whatever we can to support them.”

Retail stores have been the scene of multiple shootings in recent years, resulting in calls for companies to both anticipate the potential for such events and to carefully manage the aftermath, experts say.