Deputy Who Shot Clerk Is 'Very Upset,' Captain Says

West Hollywood Sheriff's Capt. Kelley Fraser spoke at the City Council meeting Monday night to discuss the robbery at Carmel Liquor on Sunday, when a trainee deputy mistakenly fired eight rounds at a store worker.

Fraser said she was thankful that no one was hurt in the shooting and that emotions remain high. "So as far as I'm concerned, there are some injuries," she said.

"The deputy that was involved in the shooting is very upset about the actions that he based his actions on," Fraser said.

A full internal investigation is under way, Fraser told the council members, reassuring them that the department takes these types of incidents very seriously.

The trainee deputy was not out on patrol on Tuesday, the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station said.

In the meantime, Tina Ferede, owner of the liquor store, said she's trying to figure out what she's going to do now that her brother has decided he doesn't want to work at the business anymore.

Her brother, Likun Gebrehana, has not returned to the liquor store since Sunday's incident. Ferede started running the business about 15 months ago and said within the past four months—there have been four robbery incidents at the store—two of which involved guns. 

Ferede says she's looking to install a taller protective shield by the cash register, but says it's going to cost her about $30,000 and doesn't know how she's going to afford that right now. 

"Right now I have to work by myself," she said. Ferede says she added a black fence along the windows of her store and installed a two-foot bullet shield by the cash register to add protection.

 "I did that because of the safety. I spent money [on] that. Just imagine…I thought, 'I'm done now. I spent money because it's a new business. Now I'm safe. I'll start getting a little break.'" Instead, Ferede finds herself having to find a replacement for her brother and a taller bullet shield.  

Ferede said she walked around the neighborhood before she invested in her business, but after the wave of crime affecting her store, she says it's not as safe as she thought.

Deputies have a good physical description of the suspects, Fraser said, and detectives are aggressively pursuing leads.

"Hopefully, we'll get that solved pretty quick," she said.