Robber Shoots Woman in Back in Marina del Rey

A woman remained hospitalized Friday after being shot in the back in Marina del Rey by a robber who had stolen her purse, officials said.

The woman was robbed about 9:45 p.m. Thursday in the 13900 block of Tahiti Way when a gunman approached her car in the parking area of an apartment complex, said Sgt. Carlos Veramendi of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Marina del Rey station.

The robber took the woman's purse and then shot at her three times as she moved away and struck her once in the lower back, Veramendi said. The woman, who was described as a white female in her 40s, was conscious and lying face down near the pool area when deputies arrived, but was unable to give them much information.

While being taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment, the victim said she was in the parking area and was standing near her car when she was approached by a man driving a white Mercedes-Benz with no license plate who asked her for directions, Sheriff's Deputy Guillermina Saldana said in a press release. The victim said she felt as if she was going to be robbed, so she gave the suspect her purse, immediately ran away and was shot, the press release said.

The woman underwent surgery and was in stable condition and expected to recover, Veramendi said Friday.

Detectives continued their investigation Friday and were planning to interview the victim, Veramendi said.

The armed robber remained at large.