Officials Identify Man Killed During Confrontation At Santa Ana Starbucks
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A 50-year-old man who was killed during a confrontation at a Starbucks in Santa Ana has been identified, authorities said Monday.
According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department's website, Ozro Robert Lee succumbed to his injuries sustained during the altercation.
Shortly after 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Santa Ana Police Department officers were sent to the 3300 block of South Bristol Street for report of an altercation.
Upon their arrival, authorities learned Lee was acting strangely outside the Starbucks location before he stormed inside and confronted a 20-year-old man who held a skateboard.
Witnesses reported Lee yelled racial slurs at the young man and taunted him to the point of self-defense.
"He was very angry for quite some time before the incident happened," said customer Sophia Hendle. "He was yelling a lot. He banged on the window really hard, flew the door open and started walking up to the kid with a skateboard."
During the altercation, Lee fell to the ground after being struck on the side of his head with the skateboard.
Paramedics transported him to Orange County Global Medical Center where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A preliminary investigation revealed something led to a verbal altercation between the two men, which then escalated into a physical altercation.
Investigators detained the younger man for questioning and later released him. No charges were filed.
At this time, it remains unclear if the attack was committed in self-defense or it was an act of aggression.
The Starbucks location remained closed after the deadly confrontation.