Information on Shooting of LAPD Officer

Los Angeles: A veteran Los Angeles Police Department Officer was shot and injured during an  Assault with a Deadly Weapon radio call in the Westlake area in the early morning hours of January 22, 2007.  The shooting occurred in the 600 block of South Coronado Street.

Andy Taylor, 37 years old and a 12 year veteran of the Department assigned to Rampart Patrol Division was responding to the call just after 4:30 A.M.  During the investigation, an armed suspect shot Officer Taylor.  Fellow LAPD officers then became involved in an Officer-Involved-Shooting (OIS) which resulted in the suspect's death. Two men and two women were detained for questioning following the shooting.

Later in the day, LAPD command staff was provided details of the OIS by Force Investigation Division, the investigating entity.  The preliminary investigation indicates that the handcuffed suspect was able to retrieve a handgun he had hidden on his person, and use it to shoot Officer Taylor.  The weapon was not discovered during the initial search of the suspect.  Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears that a total of four rounds struck Officer Taylor.  One round struck the officer's holstered service pistol.  A second round hit his LAPD badge.  A third round struck the right side of his ballistic vest, and the fourth round entered an unprotected area under his right arm travelling through his back.  Officer Taylor was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he is in stable condition and is expected to fully recover.    

There have been approximately 10 Assaults with a Deadly Weapon, involving a firearm, against Los Angeles Police officers in the first 22-days of 2007.  Two officers have been wounded by the gunfire.  There have been a total of six officer involved shootings this year.

In light of the increased violence against LAPD officers, an Officer Safety Advisory has been forwarded to all Department personnel stressing the importance of employing proper tactics and search techniques.

Comments

[K Stone]

This is the second officer in less than a year shot wearing a vest, both under the arm. Is there a way to get the attention of the vest manufacturer to remedy this design problem? Attorneys? Also, where are these vermin taking their target practice; and can that be remedied?

[LJ]

Seems more an issue of thoroughly searching your suspect for weapons than a design flaw of the vests.

[Loves LA LEOs]

I know LAPD officer training is the among the finest in the world. I am concerned that the attitude of the Police Commission is inhibiting officers from using this training to protect themselves. What is the Mayor going to do about it?

[RCJP]

Devin Brown got John Mack on the Police Commission. Suzie Pena got a "Blue Ribbon Panel." Javier Ovando got a consent decree even before anybody figured out there wasn't much wrong at Rampart after all. Stanley Miller got a "Community Panel" and a good cop fired.

Rodney King got the key to the City, for all intents and purposes.

What the heck has to happen for our ACLU member mayor to appoint a Blue Ribbon Panel on Officer Safety? Isn't four close calls in 7 months a concern to any elected official in this town?

[Centurion]

Thanks to all the Officers who responded to Officer Taylor's aid and escorted his RA to Cedars. Also thanks to LAFD for their response.

Andy have a quick recovery and get back on the horse when your ready.

[jumbo clip]

"the handcuffed suspect was able to retrieve a handgun he had hidden on his person, and use it to shoot Officer Taylor"

handcuffed... HANDCUFFED!!! oh wait, aren't handcuffed suspects no longer a threat?

of course this will never silence the "critic"...

[Citizen/Officer]

Where are the community activists that support the criminals now? Why are they not showing their support for the officers that are being hurt while protecting and serving?

Just a thought......

[Loves LA LEOs]

I agree with RCJP. About 4 hours ago, I nearly fainted in a cafeteria. I asked an adult male to get the nurse. He abandoned me. I managed to get there on my own and got treated for what turned out to be a hypoglycemic episode. This happened to me yesterday, while driving near Manchester & Vermont, and two officers offered to get medical assistance and spoke with me to determine my fitness to drive. They respected my dignity and made me feel stronger. All I can say is, don't take it for granted folks. Everything they do is not in the job description. And the weapons these warriors use are most often kindness and respect, which is very healing to our damaged society. Think about it; we are suffering from things that happened sometimes before these officers were even born. They want to help, they want to care. Don't take them for granted or make them sorry they chose to be one of the best parts of the solution. Strengthen them, and support them, so that when trouble comes, as it always does, and our officers and deputies are here to help us as they always have been, we can say trouble came to pass, but did not come to stay.

[Rob G]

I know Officer Taylor. He is an outstanding Police Officer. The events that led up to him being shot will be reviewed. The fact is that unless you were there, you don't have any business speculating or passing judgement. A concealed weapon is just that. These Officers were in the middle of a tactical operation with multiple dangerous suspects. Missing a weapon during a hasty search in a fluid, ongoing senario, on a person who was probably wearing bulky winter clothing, although tragic, is not really all that uncommon. Officers are humans and are allowed to make human errors.

Those that have never done similar tasks under similar conditions and NEVER made a mistake are the only ones who should be casting stones.

[Rookie mistake]

From my understanding, Officer Taylor is an FTO and his trainee missed the gun during a search. I can't confirm this, but it is what I've heard from a reliable source...

[Anne]

If the LAPD does a thorough search of the criminal on the street, then that's a violation of his civil rights, as the ACLU will say later. Again, the hands of police are tied when it comes to protecting themselves.

[ron]

Mr. RCJP
Officer John Hatfield got just what he deserved, he could have kept his job and saved me a taxpayer a lot of money by not hitting him with the flashlight.

[Centurion]

Hey Rookie, I have the same source and he/she said that more than two Officers had the opportunity to find the .357 pistol.

I also can't confirm this until the Commission publishes the OIS Investigation in a year.

So don't spread rumors that can and will hurt an Officers career.