KTLA

Alleged robber captured 1 month after hospitalizing employee of Chinatown business

LAPD Commander Lillian L. Carranza shared this photo of the Oct. 13, 2023, arrest to social media.

A Los Angeles man has been arrested in connection with a violent robbery at a Chinatown business last month.

Courtland Thornton, 31, was captured in Hawthorne on Friday, almost exactly a month after the Sept. 14 robbery in the 800 block of North Broadway, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a news release.


Surveillance video captured Thornton just before noon that day as he entered the businesses, assaulted an employee and stole property from behind the counter, police said.

“As the employee attempted to stop him, the suspect assaulted the employee,” the release said. “The employee was hospitalized for her injuries inflicted by the suspect.”

Police said Thornton is being held in lieu of $80,000 bail, but jail records indicate an extra $1 million bail was added to Thornton’s total in relation to a separate case.

No information about his next court date was available.

Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Detective Huy Nguyen at 213-996-1875.

During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).

To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or go directly to lacrimestoppers.org.