2 Arrested for Deadly Robberies at Multiple Southern Calif. 7-Elevens: 'This Was a Reign of Terror'

Mar. 15, 2025

Two men were taken into custody Friday in Los Angeles as the suspects behindmultiple armed robberies at 7-Eleven stores in Southern Californiathat resulted in two killings and three others being wounded, authorities said.

“This was a reign of terror,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said at apress conference, announcing the arrests of Malik Patt, 20, and Jason Payne, 44, on Friday.

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The crime spree in various California counties occurred over 5 hours on Monday, leaving two people dead — Matthew Hirsch, 40, a store clerk who was gunned down at a Brea 7-Eleven, and Matthew Rule 24, who was shot outside a Santa Ana store, per authorities.

Police also said the two men were allegedly involved in another homicide case on July 9 in Los Angeles. One of the men was also tied to “a number of crimes” following a further investigation, police said.

Officials from Orange County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately return PEOPLE’s request to comment.

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The arrests of the two men were made after a task force managed to track the suspects at a home in the 1900 block of West 23rd Street, theLos Angeles Timesreports.

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Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin also revealed during the press conference that Rule was shot after he attempted to intervene when one of the gunmen was trying to rob another person. Rule “tried to redirect the suspect. The suspect turns around and shoot[s] our victim, kills him on the spot,” he said.

“He hadn’t had time to enjoy a normal life,” Jim said of his son, whom he talked to daily. “He goes through a struggle for goodness and it ends in a shooting.”

source: people.com