Mother and daughter attacked, robbed over parking space dispute at California outlet mall

Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times on Dec 20, 2024

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

LOS ANGELES — It's not unusual to fight for a good bargain during the holiday shopping season. It's a whole different story when the fighting starts in the parking lot outside the store.

That's what authorities say happened this week at the Cidatel Outlets in Commerce about 5 p.m. when a group of people attacked a 19-year-old woman over a parking spot and then stole her mother's purse in the middle of the brawl.

Natalie Martinez and her mother, Patricia Cupa, were looking for parking Wednesday when they saw an open spot next to a vehicle with one of its doors open, the pair told KTLA-TV.

Martinez waited a few minutes and then honked her horn to let the person in the other car know that she was going to park in the empty stall. After pulling into the spot, a group of people exited the neighboring car and became hostile, KTLA reported. The groups exchanged words and then the argument became physical, Martinez said. The video doesn't show who started the fight.

But what transpired after the first punch was captured on cellphone video shared with KTLA.

The group in the other vehicle surround Martinez between the two vehicles, with two people repeatedly punching her while a third person pulls her legs, taking her to the ground. Martinez is also seen fighting back.

A man in the group is shown reaching into Martinez's vehicle. The person stole her mother's purse, which was carrying $3,000 in cash for rent, bills and gifts, credit cards and her ID, the pair told KTLA.

Martinez received several bruises and a cut lip, according to the news station.

The incident is under investigation and detectives are working to identify the suspects, said Lt. Jose Navares with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"It's only a matter of time before they're caught," he said.