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Robbers assault 2 hostages at Los Angeles store

Published: January 11, 2013 Comment on this article

photo - A Los Angeles police investigators carries evidence bags from a Nordstrom Rack store at Howard Hughes Center near Los Angeles International Airport Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. Robbers stabbed a clothing store employee and sexually assaulted another during an hours-long hostage drama that ended early Friday with a police SWAT team surging into the shop and rescuing 14 workers. No robbers had been found by mid-morning. The ordeal began at about 11 p.m. when a man called 911 and reported that his girlfriend had called and said there were gunmen in the store, Lt. Andy Neiman said. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

A Los Angeles police investigators carries evidence bags from a Nordstrom Rack store at Howard Hughes Center near Los Angeles International Airport Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. Robbers stabbed a clothing store employee and sexually assaulted another during an hours-long hostage drama that ended early Friday with a police SWAT team surging into the shop and rescuing 14 workers. No robbers had been found by mid-morning. The ordeal began at about 11 p.m. when a man called 911 and reported that his girlfriend had called and said there were gunmen in the store, Lt. Andy Neiman said. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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Moments later, another man came out with a woman, but when he saw the police he grabbed her and pushed her back inside, Neiman said.

SWAT members surrounded the location but weren't able to talk to anyone inside. They later rushed in. Officers found most of the hostages locked in a storage room and two others in a bathroom, police said.

The employee who was stabbed was treated and released at the scene, police said.

Police were checking to see if surveillance cameras captured the robbers on video. Investigators also were interviewing the 13 women and a man who were held hostage to determine the chain of events.

Darrow said counseling services will be provided to employees.

"Our priority right now is to take care of our employees," she said.

The store will remain closed over the weekend to give employees time to recover, and counselors will be available when it reopens Monday.

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