A pair of Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives conducting surveillance at a West Hills shopping center saw an armed suspect attempt to rob a woman and at least one of them fatally shot him Thursday night, Jan. 22, authorities said.

Detectives with the department’s Major Crimes Bureau were doing a follow-up investigation into a trio of robberies earlier this month in the Malibu and Lost Hills area when they saw the suspect approach the woman about 8:40 p.m., sheriff’s Lt. Steve DeJong said.

The shooting occurred in front of a Michaels store in the Fallbrook Center, in the 6600 block of Fallbrook Avenue.

“Two of the detectives exited their vehicle and attempted to make contact and detain the suspect when the deputy-involved shooting occurred,” DeJong said.

The suspect died at the scene and authorities found a semiautomatic handgun with an extended magazine, he said. What specifically prompted at least one detective to fire was unclear.

A woman identified as a second suspect fled in a car, but deputies caught up to her and detained her in Agoura Hills, DeJong said.

It wasn’t immediately known if the two suspects were the ones that detectives were seeking from the previous robberies.

A security guard told Key News Network, a freelance news organization that sometimes works with the Southern California News Group, that he saw a sheriff’s unit pull in, heard gunshots and looked up to see the suspect go down.

The guard, who did not give his name, said about five or six people were inside the Michael’s store at the time.

“They had a few shots go through the windows, so they got everyone out and blocked off the area,” he said.

The suspect was down in the street in front of the Michaels next to a Cost Plus World Market.

The identity of the suspect who was shot was not released pending notification of his relatives.