An early morning deputy-involved shooting in East Los Angeles has left a suspect dead after an exchange of gunfire with Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies. According to KTLA, the shooting occurred around 4:35 a.m. on Friday, in the 1500 block of Helen Drive. The details leading up to the incident have not been clearly laid out, but the person involved was hit at least once during the altercation. Their condition was not immediately made available following the confrontation.
ABC7 reports that the deceased suspect was involved in a shootout after opening fire on deputies who were responding to a report of shots fired in the same vicinity. The sheriff's deputies returned fire when the suspect shot at them upon their arrival. Following the incident, the suspect's body was reportedly seen on the street, and all deputies were accounted for according to the spokesperson's statement.
The area around Helen Drive, near the interchange of the 10 and 710 freeways, was closed as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department commenced an investigation into the shooting. Information from CBS News highlights that the incident occurred near the same 1500 block and that the deputies involved have not provided extensive details about what precipitated the deadly exchange.
While the motive behind the shooting remains under investigation, the incident has provoked further scrutiny of deputy-involved shootings in the region. An earlier report mistakenly stated that the event took place in Monterey Park; a correction later issued clarified the location as being in the East L.A. neighborhood of City Terrace. No law enforcement officers were injured during the event.
