LOS ANGELES, CA – Two men allegedly robbed a man at gunpoint and knifepoint, striking him in the face with a handgun and taking his watch Thursday night in West Hollywood, prompting the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to increase patrols across the city, including the Rainbow District.
The robbery was reported at about 9:05 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, in the 8400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Deputies assigned to West Hollywood Station responded to the call, the department said in a news release issued Oct. 9.
The Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau is taking over the investigation. No arrests had been reported as of Saturday, Oct. 10.
How the robbery unfolded
According to the victim’s account to deputies, two men in black clothing approached him. One pointed a silver handgun at him, and the other brandished a knife.
The men demanded the victim’s watch and bracelet, the Sheriff’s Department said. They struck him in the face with the handgun.
The suspects took the watch and fled in a vehicle that has not been identified. According to initial reports, the robbery took place in the parking lot of the Laurel Supply grocery store on Santa Monica Boulevard.
Victim treated at the scene
The victim suffered a laceration to his forehead, the Sheriff’s Department said. Personnel from the Los Angeles County Fire Department evaluated him at the scene.
He was not taken to a hospital, according to the department. The Sheriff’s Department has not released the victim’s name.
Sheriff’s Department increases deputy patrols
West Hollywood Station said it is increasing the number of deputies patrolling the city. The added patrols include the Rainbow District, the Santa Monica Boulevard nightlife area.
In the same statement, the Sheriff’s Department said robbery statistics through August 2026 show a decline. The department reported 49 robberies in the city during that period, compared with 62 in the same period of 2025, a drop of about 21 percent.
The City of West Hollywood publishes a year-to-date crime dataset, filtered from Sheriff’s Department records, on its open data portal.
City says public safety remains top priority
The City of West Hollywood responded to the robbery in a statement Oct. 9. The city said it is “a compassionate and engaged community” and called news of the robbery “deeply upsetting and unsettling.”
The city said community concerns are heard and taken seriously, and that public safety remains its top priority. It said the Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating and that additional patrols will be conducted by sheriff’s deputies and the city’s security ambassadors.
The security ambassadors are part of the city’s own public safety program, which operates alongside the Sheriff’s Department.
Detectives ask for information from the public
Detectives at West Hollywood Station are asking anyone with information about the robbery or the suspects to call the station at 310-855-8850. The Sheriff’s Department said the public may also share photos or video of the incident or the suspects.
People who prefer to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
Investigation remains active
The Major Crimes Bureau’s investigation continues. Authorities have released no description of the suspects beyond their clothing and have not announced an arrest.
