DA rips Gavin Newsom for 'soft-on-crime policies' after thugs charged with murdering 68-year-old woman at posh shopping mall

The district attorney of Orange County, California, blasted far-left Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers for their "soft-on-crime policies" after a trio of thugs were charged murdering a 68-year-old woman at a posh mall in Newport Beach last week.

The DA's office said New Zealand tourist Patricia McKay and her husband were waiting for a ride after finishing shopping at the Fashion Island mall Tuesday when a white Toyota Camry pulled up next to the couple and two masked males jumped out and attacked McKay’s 69-year-old husband, putting a gun to his head and demanding his watch as they forced him to the ground as bystanders ran away.

'Our shopping centers and malls have become hunting grounds for criminals who are stalking innocent shoppers to rob them blind because our Governor and our Legislature refuse to hold anyone accountable for their actions.'

When the suspects — later identified as Malachi Darnell and Jaden Cunningham, both 18 — couldn't get his property, Cunningham is accused of throwing McKay to the ground, stealing her shopping bags, and dragging her into the street in front of the getaway car, which 26-year-old Leroy Ernest Joseph McCrary was driving, the DA's office said.

With McKay lying in front of the Camry, McKay’s husband jumped in front of the vehicle in an effort to stop his wife from being run over, but McCrary is accused of accelerating forward with Darnell in the vehicle, pushing McKay’s husband out of the way, and running over McKay and dragging her body 65 feet, the DA's office said.

While McCrary was dragging McKay under the car, Cunningham was running to try to catch up to the getaway car, the DA's office said, adding that a good Samaritan tried to stop Cunningham from getting back into the vehicle. Darnell is accused of shooting from the getaway car at the good Samaritan, the DA's office said, adding that McCrary is accused of slowing down to allow Cunningham to jump back into the getaway vehicle, after which McCrary drove away.

Cunningham was arrested after bailing out of the vehicle in Cypress, the DA's office said, adding that McCrary and Darnell were arrested in South Gate after a police pursuit; all three defendants were being held without bail.

Orange County DA Todd Spitzer did not hold back in his comments against Newsom and state lawmakers.

“Our shopping centers and malls have become hunting grounds for criminals who are stalking innocent shoppers to rob them blind because our Governor and our Legislature refuse to hold anyone accountable for their actions," he said in a Friday statement. "Actions have consequences, and it shouldn’t have to result in the death of an elderly woman just enjoying a day of shopping with her husband for our elected leaders in Sacramento to realize that this is the product of their soft-on-crime policies which encourage criminality while sacrificing public safety. This is Orange County, and we refuse to accept this is the new normal. Criminals will be held accountable and violence will never be acceptable.”

The DA's office said the three suspects are eligible for the death penalty if they are convicted of the special circumstances murder charges in the commission of a robbery with a felony enhancement for causing the death of an elder over the age of 65.

McCrary faces additional felony charges of attempted second-degree robbery and evading while driving recklessly, the DA's office said, adding that McCrary has prior felony convictions for residential burglary in 2018, criminal threats in 2020, and robbery in 2023, all in Los Angeles County.

Darnell also has been charged with second-degree attempted robbery, attempted murder, and felony enhancements of personal use of a firearm and personal discharge of a firearm, the DA's office said, adding that Cunningham also has been charged with one felony count of attempted second-degree robbery.

You can view a video report about the incident here.

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