North Hollywood restaurant shooting suspect arrested near Seattle

A man suspected of killing four men in a shooting prompted by an argument inside a North Hollywood restaurant earlier this month was arrested near Seattle, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Nerses Arthur Galstyan, a 28-year-old Armenian national, was arrested Tuesday along with his brother, Samuel Galstyan, in Kenmore, Washington, said Deputy U.S. Marshal Richard L. Ploof.

Los Angeles police had originally named Nerses Galstyan as the sole suspect in the shooting at the Hot Spot Cafe Mediterranean Restaurant at 11651 Riverside Drive. It was not clear what Samuel Galstyan's involvement was in that shooting or if he was involved at all, but Ploof said he was also wanted on a murder warrant originating from Los Angeles.

Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese, head of the LAPD's Valley Bureau, said he had no information on Samuel Galstyan's arrest.

"There are no details other than to know that the suspect we wanted is in custody," Albanese said.

Albanese could not say when the suspects would be brought back to Los Angeles, citing extradition issues.

About 20 law enforcement officials including the Marshal's Pacific Northwest Fugitive Apprehension Task Force and a SWAT team from Kings County made the arrest at a home around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday. Officials had set up surveillance on the home after being contacted by the Los Angeles Police Department, Ploof said.

The Galstyans were called out of the home and surrendered without incident, Ploof said.
Ploof declined to name the relationship between the Galstyans and the homeowners.

Nerses Galstyan has been sought since the April 3 shooting that left four men dead and two others injured. Killed were: Hayk Yegnanyan, 25; Sarkis Karadjian, 26; Harut Baburyan, 28; and Vardan Tofalyan, 31.

The men all knew each other and had been eating at the restaurant, police said.

After LAPD identified Nerses Galstyan as the alleged shooter on April 9, a federal grand jury on the same day indicted Galstyan on three counts of illegally dealing firearms and possession of two semi-automatic rifles with obliterated serial numbers.

If convicted of those three counts, he could face a maximum of 15 years in prison.