A beloved barber was killed, and a customer wounded, in a shooting at a barbershop in Hawthorne.
The shooting was reported about 11 a.m. in the 14100 block of Crenshaw Boulevard, right in front of the En Effect barber shop, according to Sgt. Jennifer Roth of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Information Bureau.
Paul “PJ” Foster, a 50-year-old man and popular barber was gunned down. The owner of the store, Roosevelt Smith, said Foster was simply going through his daily routine.
“Business as usual,” he said, “he was having his bowl of cereal, as he always do, with his almond milk.”
Foster, and a customer who was wounded during the shooting, were rushed to the hospital. Foster was later pronounced dead.
Family and friends say the popular barber of 10 years was a hard worker and family man. He was a father of two kids.
“That’s my cousin,” said Andre Moore, “first male role model, so you can imagine the pain. My family is enduring.”
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Hours after the shooting took place, detectives remained at the scene searching for any security footage that may have captured the gunman or gunmen.
Family members said Foster was planning an annual family cookout, and they will still gather in his honor.
“Great loss to the family, the community,” said Smith. “Right now it’s hard to cope that this is really happening.”
A vigil at the barber shop will take place Saturday afternoon.
No details were released about what led to the shooting and no suspect information was immediately available.
