Man fatally struck with skateboard at Starbucks ID'd

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Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Ozro Robert Lee, 50, was killed after being hit in the head with a skateboard inside a Starbucks in Santa Ana on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015.
Ozro Robert Lee, 50, was killed after being hit in the head with a skateboard inside a Starbucks in Santa Ana on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015.
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SANTA ANA, Calif. -- A 50-year-old man who was killed after being hit in the head with a skateboard inside a Starbucks in Santa Ana, Calif., has been identified.

Ozro Lee died from injuries he sustained during a confrontation with a young man inside the coffee shop in the 3300 block of S. Bristol Street around 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 24, according to the Orange County coroner's office.

Witnesses told Eyewitness News that Lee appeared to be acting erratically outside the coffee shop. At one point, he began banging on the front windows of the Starbucks.

Lee then walked into the coffee shop, approached a younger man who was with his girlfriend seated at a table, and began acting aggressively toward him.

The unnamed younger man then quickly stood up and struck Lee in the head with his skateboard in what witnesses described as an act of self-defense.

Lee was transported to Orange County Global Medical Center where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The younger man remained at the scene and has been cooperative with investigators, Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said. No charges have been filed.

Witness Carmen Gomez, who worked nearby, said Lee was yelling and screaming at her just before the deadly altercation.

"He was like, 'You're going to pay. You're going to pay. Everybody's going to pay.' That's when I walked away and I thought this guy is talking a little gibberish," she said.

Gomez said she tried to comfort the skateboarder after the victim was transported to the hospital. She said she assured the young man that he had done nothing wrong and that the victim seemed to be looking for a fight.