Mervin Benjamin, 25

Mervin Benjamin, a 25-year-old black man, was shot and killed Monday, Jan. 20, in the 7900 block of Melrose Avenue in Beverly Grove, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner's records.

Shortly before 2:15 a.m., officers from the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a call of shots fired in the area and found a blood trail leading to an alley, said LAPD Det. Sean Kinchla.

Police believe that moments before the shooting, two men, one of whom was Benjamin, tried to rob a group of people. 

One of the people they tried to rob was a plainclothes security guard who pulled out a gun and shot Benjamin, Kinchla said.

Benjamin ran up to a random car and told them he had been shot. The occupants took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:11 a.m., according to coroner's records. 

The other man involved was charged with robbery, Kinchla said. The security guard was not charged. 

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (213) 382-9470. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @nicolesantacruz and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.