Man charged in deadly LA store standoff expected in court

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man accused of shooting at police before taking hostages during a deadly standoff at a Los Angeles grocery in July is expected in court Wednesday.

An arraignment is set in Los Angeles County Superior Court for Gene Evin Atkins. The 28-year-old is charged with murder in the death of a Trader Joe’s store employee who was hit by an officer’s bullet during a police gun battle with Atkins.

Atkins also is charged with kidnapping and carjacking.

Police say Atkins shot his grandmother and kidnapped his girlfriend before leading officers on a chase that ended with a crash outside the Trader Joe’s.

Los Angeles police Chief Michel Moore has defended the decision to use deadly force as an attempt to stop what officers feared could become a mass shooting.