Gombert Yepremyan, 19 [Updated]

Gombert Yepremyan, a 19-year-old man identified by coroner's officials as Armenian, was shot and killed Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the 6400 block of North Laurel Canyon Boulevard near Victory Boulevard in North Hollywood, authorities said.

Yepremyan, who was known as Mike to friends and family, was shot in the neck by an acquaintance just before 9 p.m. in the parking lot of a Sears store, authorities said.

Yepremyan was taken to a hospital where he later died, said Officer Norma Eisenman of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Police determined that earlier that evening Yepremyan had been involved in a dispute with another man that took place via telephone, Eisenman said.

“Both parties agreed to meet to settle whatever their differences were,” Eisenman said.

They met in the parking lot, where the altercation occurred. The suspect pulled out a semiautomatic handgun and shot the victim, Eisenman said.

The suspect fled in a black four-door BMW 3-Series sedan with no plates, Eisenman said.

Anyone with information is asked to call (877) 527-3247.

[For the record:  An earlier version of this post, which was based on the coroner's original report, incorrectly gave time of death as 10:50 a.m.]

[Update June 8, 2011: L.A. councilman calls for federal probe into homicide suspect's release on bail in Puerto Rico]

[Update July 14, 2011: Suspect in bizarre text-message slaying arrested after fleeing Puerto Rico]

-- My-Thuan Tran