'Pretty Little Liars' actor Keegan Allen robbed at gunpoint in West Hollywood
In short
Actor Keegan Allen was robbed of his watch by two masked men armed with a handgun and a knife outside the Laurel Supply grocery store on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood on the evening of Oct. 8, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. He was struck in the face with the handgun and suffered a cut to his forehead but was not hospitalized. Allen posted a bloodied video on Instagram and called out Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom; Bass's office called the robbery "egregious".
Read the full story 2 min read
Keegan Allen, the actor known for "Pretty Little Liars", was robbed at gunpoint and knifepoint outside a grocery store in West Hollywood on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 8, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. Deputies responded to a robbery report at around 9:05 p.m. at Laurel Supply on Santa Monica Boulevard, where Allen told them two suspects dressed in black had confronted him. [ 1 , 3 ]
"One suspect pointed a silver handgun at the victim while the other pointed a knife and demanded the victim's watch and bracelet," the sheriff's department said in a statement. "Shortly after, the victim was struck in the face with the handgun. The suspects obtained the victim's watch and fled the scene in an unknown vehicle." Allen "sustained a laceration to his forehead" but was not hospitalized, the department said. Fox News reported that Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel evaluated him at the scene. According to investigators, Allen, 37, had just returned to his vehicle from the store when he was confronted, NBC News reported. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Allen posted a video on Instagram showing blood on his face. "I was just robbed of my watch outside of Laurel Supply," he said in the footage, before asking someone to call the police. "These two dudes hit me in the head and pointed a gun at me, with a knife, and then took off. They had masks on." IGN reported the post included CCTV footage from a nearby camera showing two men in dark clothing approaching Allen near a truck; after he handed over his watch, one of the men struck him in the head twice and both fled. [ 2 , 4 ]
In the caption, Allen wrote: "West Hollywood is not safe anymore. Robbed at gunpoint and knifepoint by two young men that threatened to KILL me over my watch and would have! God said no tonight. My life for a watch." He added: "Let's hope all these flock cameras that @karenbassla @gavinnewsom and everyone thinks will stop crime can find these very dangerous criminals. God bless." IGN reported the video had drawn more than 135,000 likes in the hours after it was posted. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Mayor Karen Bass's office told the New York Post: "This is egregious — no one should have to experience something like this. West Hollywood is an independent city, and the LA County Sheriff's Department is responsible for leading this investigation. LAPD, as always, will assist regional partners as needed to ensure bad actors are held accountable." NBC News reported the city of West Hollywood also released a statement in response to the incident. [ 2 , 3 ]
The sheriff's department said Friday it is "actively investigating this incident" and that additional patrols will be sent to the area, NBC News reported. IGN reported that no arrests have been made and that people with information are encouraged to contact the sheriff's West Hollywood station at (310) 855-8850. [ 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The attack on a well-known actor, and his public challenge to Bass and Newsom over surveillance cameras, has drawn attention to street safety in West Hollywood, with the city and the mayor's office issuing statements. The sheriff's department says it is actively investigating and sending additional patrols to the area, and no arrests have been made.
Key facts
- Deputies responded to a robbery report at about 9:05 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Two men pointed a silver handgun and a knife at Allen and demanded his watch and bracelet, according to the sheriff's department statement. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Allen was struck in the face with the handgun and sustained a laceration to his forehead; the suspects took his watch and fled in an unknown vehicle. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Allen, 37, was not taken to a hospital. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Allen posted video on Instagram showing blood on his face, writing "West Hollywood is not safe anymore" and tagging Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom over the Flock camera network. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Bass's office called the robbery "egregious" and said the LA County Sheriff's Department is leading the investigation because West Hollywood is an independent city. [ 3 ]
- No arrests have been made; the sheriff's department is asking anyone with information to contact its West Hollywood station. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Keegan Allen was robbed of his watch by two armed men outside Laurel Supply in West Hollywood on Thursday, Oct. 8. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The sheriff's department said one suspect pointed a silver handgun and the other a knife, demanding Allen's watch and bracelet, and Allen was struck in the face with the handgun. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Allen sustained a laceration to his forehead and was not hospitalized. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Allen posted a video on Instagram with blood on his face and wrote that West Hollywood is "not safe anymore" and that the men threatened to kill him over his watch. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Allen's post called out Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom over whether Flock cameras could find the suspects. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The identity of the suspects and the vehicle they used. The sheriff's department said the suspects fled in an unknown vehicle and IGN reported no arrests have been made.
- Whether the bracelet was taken. The sheriff's statement said the suspects demanded a watch and bracelet but obtained the watch; no document says what happened to the bracelet.
- The full content of the City of West Hollywood's statement. Only NBC News reports the city issued a statement in response, and its text is cut off in the document.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Oct. 8: Deputies respond to a robbery report at Laurel Supply on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Oct. 8, late evening: Allen posts a video and caption on Instagram describing the robbery and calling out Bass and Newsom. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Oct. 9: Fox News reports the sheriff's office account of the robbery. [ 1 ]
- Oct. 9: NBC News reports the sheriff's department said Friday it is actively investigating and will send additional patrols to the area. [ 2 ]
- Oct. 9: New York Post reports Bass's office called the robbery "egregious". [ 3 ]