An officer-involved shooting in Downtown Los Angeles has left one suspect dead, following a confrontation with LAPD officers. The incident, which took place on February 3 in the Central Division, is currently under investigation by the LAPD's specialized Force Investigation Division. According to an official LAPD Newsroom release, the series of events began with a radio call about an "Assault with a Deadly Weapon" on the 600 block of Towne Avenue, where the suspect, reportedly under the influence and armed, threatened employees with a stick.
Responding officers were directed to the 4th floor of a nearby warehouse on East 7th Street by the Person Reporting, who had fled the scene in fear. The suspect who had trespassed, had access to "sharp items and metal objects," and was later the subject of a Private Persons Arrest by the PR. Upon confronting the suspect, officers used less lethal force after he reportedly charged at them with a white object, initially believed to be a knife, but found out later, to be nothing more than a plastic fork.
The confrontation escalated when the suspect grabbed hold of one of the officers and the beanbag shotgun she was wielding, which led to an officer-involved shooting. The man was struck by the gunfire, subdued, and subsequently provided medical assistance by the officers until paramedics arrived. He was then transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The statement from LAPD emphasized that "No other community members were injured" in the ordeal.
The investigation, taking cues from Assembly Bill 1506, has now come under the purview of the Office of the California Attorney General, Division of Law Enforcement, taking over from the initial oversight by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. The aftermath of the incident also left a supervisor with a laceration on his hand, treated, and released from a local hospital. LAPD's communication iterated that the case will undergo a thorough review by multiple bodies to ascertain conformity with the department's standards and procedures.
