An early morning operation by SWAT in Los Angeles turned fatal last Thursday when officers opened fire on an armed robbery suspect. Los Angeles Police Department has reported that Zeff Rocco, wanted for a series of robberies, was shot and killed while allegedly attempting to retrieve an assault rifle after jumping from a third-story balcony.

According to the LAPD, the incident unfolded around 5:10 a.m. in the 7900 block of Reseda Boulevard, where the SWAT team was executing a search and arrest warrant. Rocco, after a telephonic attempt by SWAT to coax his surrender, leapt from the balcony, his fall causing him to drop the weapon. In the moment he reached for the fallen 5.56 caliber semiautomatic Ghost Gun, laden with 39 rounds and an additional loaded magazine, officers fired their weapons.

The LAPD stated that the rifle was recovered at the scene, and at no point during the intense confrontation were any officers, or members of the public, harmed. Emergency personnel from the Los Angeles Fire Department swiftly transported Rocco to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.

Currently, the Force Investigation Division is relentlessly piecing together the details of the shooting, delving into witness accounts, digital and physical evidence and the sequence of events that led to the tragic end of the standoff. Photos of the recovered firearm and magazines can be viewed on the LAPD's official newsroom site.

The department has reminded the public that what is known now about the case may evolve, as the ongoing investigation into the officer-involved shooting continues to unfold, and additional evidence comes to light that could potentially alter the current narrative.