Police say evidence shows man acted in self-defense

09:46 AM CDT on Sunday, July 9, 2006

By MARGARITA MARTÍN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News

An attempted robbery in a South Dallas liquor store ended in a fatal shooting Saturday after the store's 64-year-old owner shot and killed the suspect, police said.

Police said the shooting appeared to be in self-defense. Forest Red's Liquor owner Suot La was attacked by the man, whose identity was not released, and was treated at Baylor University Medical Center for lacerations, Dallas police spokesman Gil Cerda said.

Mr. La's official condition was not available Saturday afternoon. The store was closed about two hours after the shooting occurred.

Mr. La shot the suspect at least once, Sgt. Cerda said. The man, who was in his 30s or 40s, died at Baylor University Medical Center.

The incident unfolded about 3 p.m. in the 5000 block of South Lamar Street when the man walked into the store and asked Mr. La's wife, Soum Xieu, who was the cashier, to cash a check. Ms. Xieu told the man they didn't cash the type of check he had, Sgt. Cerda said.

The man then jumped over the counter and started beating the petite woman. When the suspect saw Mr. La come toward them from the rear of the store, he shot at him at least once with a sawed-off shotgun but missed. The men scuffled, and Mr. La, who was armed, shot the man with a handgun.

Though injured, the man fled with a bag of money.

But he didn't make it far. He collapsed across the street in front of a bar near the intersection of Lamar and Emery streets.

"All we saw was that he fell right there like he tripped," said the bar's owner, Tony Gonzales, who said he thought the man was drunk.

Mr. Gonzales, who was sitting outside the bar with a friend, said he heard someone yell, "Don't move!" Then an officer "put his foot on his hand. The money flew off."

Sgt. Cerda said the suspect still had the shotgun.

Though detectives are investigating the case as a homicide, Sgt. Cerda said Mr. La probably won't face charges because evidence shows he shot in self-defense.

"The suspect shot first," Sgt. Cerda said.

Mr. Gonzales said he's known Mr. La and Ms. Xieu since they took over the store about 20 years ago and felt sorry about what happened.

"They're nice. They're good people," he said.

E-mail mmhidalgo@dallasnews.com