Pacific Officers Attacked at a Radio Call for a Business Dispute Suspect Shot during Struggle

UPDATED January 20, 2025

On January 14, 2011, at around 3:30 a.m., LAPD officers working patrol in the Pacific Area initially responded to a “Business Dispute” radio call in the 5200 block of Crescent Park West.  As the officers were responding, additional residents called to report “a man causing a disturbance.”  When the officer’s arrived, they were directed to and located the naked suspect, later identified as 25-year-old Reginald Doucet, who was jumping up and down on cars and behaving erratically.  Officer Aaron Goff, 17 months with the Department, and his partner who has been with the Department for 5 years, tried to speak with Doucet and detain him, but he ran away from them to where he had left his shorts and put them on.  Officer Goff and his partner tried once again to talk to Doucet and detain him, but he ran to another apartment complex a short distance away.

When Officer Goff and his partner tried a third time to detain Doucet in the apartment complex doorway, Doucet immediately attacked both officers.  LAPD’s Force Investigation Division will be conducting a thorough investigation.   Preliminary information indicates that the officers were fighting for their lives.  During the fight, Doucet repeatedly punched both officers in the face and head and at one point tried to take Officer Goff’s handgun. Officer Goff, believing he was about to lose consciousness, shot the suspect to stop the attack.  Both officers were physically battered and dazed during the incident.  The officers took Doucet into custody and immediately called for medical assistance.

Personnel from the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded and transported Doucet to a local hospital where he died as the result of his injuries.

Both officers were injured and transported to the hospital. Officer Goff was hospitalized and treated for injuries to his jaw, head, knees and arms.  His partner was treated for injuries to his ankle, face, and was later released from the hospital.

LAPD Force Investigation Division personnel are investigating the officer involved shooting.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call Force Investigation Division Detective John Roeda at 213-486-5230. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.

UPDATE

Los Angeles:  Investigations involving Officer Involved Shootings are by their nature, comprehensive and exhaustive.  While the Department’s Force Investigation Division (FID) examines the events of January 14, 2025 in the city of Los Angeles’s Pacific Area, the Department is also open to reviewing policy and procedure.  

The LAPD is continuously looking at best practices in policing in regards to policies, procedures and tactics involving the handling of calls related to persons initially perceived to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or having mental health illness issues.  How LAPD officers deal with those persons in response to crisis situations, and the tactics officers use, are two areas that are constantly being reviewed. Currently the Department educates and trains officers on such topics frequently through a Force Option Simulator, in-service tactical courses, mandated annual standardized e-learning training and through the distribution of Training Bulletins.

FID is still very early into its officer involved shooting investigation.  There is still much to be learned and it is too early to make any definitive determinations. What we do know is that preliminary information has revealed that the officer’s were fighting for their lives.  During the fight the suspect repeatedly punched both officers in the face and head and at one point tried to take one of the officer’s guns.  That officer, a male Black, 17 months with LAPD shot the suspect to stop the attack.  The second officer, a male Asian, 5 years with LAPD, was physically battered and dazed during the incident.

The investigation will ultimately be reviewed by the Chief of Police, the Office of the Inspector General and Board of Police Commissioners for compliance with the Department’s use of force policy which states that officer’ use of force actions must be objectively reasonable.  Additionally the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division will conduct a comprehensive review of the facts of the Officer Involved Shooting.

January 14, 2025

Los Angeles: Early this morning, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers from Pacific Area responded to a call for a business dispute involving a disturbance.

On January 14, 2011, at around 3:30 a.m., LAPD officers working patrol in the Pacific Area initially responded to a “Business Dispute” radio call in the 5200 block of Crescent Park West.  As the officers were responding additional residents called to report “a man causing a disturbance.”  When the officer’s arrived they were directed to and located the naked suspect, a 25-year-old Black male who was jumping up and down on cars and behaving erratically.  The officers tried to speak with the suspect and detain him but he ran away from them to where he had left his shorts and put them on.  The officers tried once again to talk to the suspect and detain him, but he ran to another apartment complex a short distance away.   

When the officers tried a third time to detain the suspect in the apartment complex doorway, the suspect immediately attacked both officers.  LAPD’s Force Investigation Division will be conducting a thorough investigation.  Preliminary information indicates that the officer’s were fighting for their lives.  During the fight the suspect repeatedly punched both officers in the face and head and at one point tried to take one of the officer’s guns.  That officer, a male Black, 17 months with LAPD shot the suspect to stop the attack.  The second officer, a male Asian, 5 years with LAPD, was physically battered and dazed during the incident.  The Officers took the suspect into custody and immediately called for medical assistance.  

Personnel from the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded and transported the wounded suspect to a local hospital where he died as the result of his injuries.

The injured officers were also transported to a local hospital.  One officer was treated for injuries to his ankle and face.  He was immediately released.  The second officer was hospitalized for a time and treated for injuries to his jaw and head.

LAPD Force Investigation Division personnel are investigating the officer involved shooting.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call Force Investigation Division Detective John Roeda at 213- 486-5230. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.

Comments

[ABC Officer]

Why is race important? Oh yeah because if it had been a white officer people would have screamed it was a racial issue. To bad the suspect was black or they still could have. Oh wait, one of the officers was asian...racism! This city is ridiculous. Good job officer for making it home to your family alive.

[B&WOp;]

The usual "community leaders" came out for a media photo op, but they forgot the basics of living safe in Los Angeles. They are: don't be so intoxicated you lose control of your common sense and rationality, and don't attempt to take an officer's firearm. This combination of bad decisions will surely end in the individual suffering great bodily injury or death at the hands of the police. It's not rocket science. Same thing as an intoxicated person trying to run across the 405 freeway while traffic is going by at 65 mph.

The outcome is predictable. How come I didn't hear any brouhaha or vociferous commentary from the "community leaders" when a black student brought a gun to school and injured two other students? Yeah. It's all about race for these noise-makers. They are becoming irrelevant, and should be treated as such.

[just a cop]

The public needs to realize that police work isnt always pretty.

[Priscilla]

Tazor gun!....Mase!.....Billy Club!..... and all would still be alive I Have always been one to respect the Law and Police I do Believe that they're Job is Hard and Dangerous at times but I do believe that givin all the training they are givin (taking non Leathal action) first is Very important and I feel this officer may have acted way to Fast and way to Harshly in taking this mans Life skipping out on Cab Fair Giving police a fight should not mean an instant Death penalty this 25 year old man was tried and sentenced right then and there with one Police man being the Judge No one heard Reggies side its Sad it really is

[Brit]

I am sorry, but in this case race has nothing to do with it. Yes, officers need to make it home, I come from a long line of officers and I appreciate the honest work most officers do each day. However, excessive force was used in this case. Mr. Doucet was unarmed, and the injuries sustained by the officers do not line up with having their lives threatened. I must say that I am very happy to see this being investigated and I hope that the truth is shown. The LAPD has changed several accounts of these events. I understand that the police officers have families to go home to, but so did the young man. He was a father, a brother, a son, a cousin, a friend... and now thousands, yes, I said thousands, of people are affected by Mr. Doucet's death. My primary question is what tactics were used prior to the officer pulling his gun from the holster as guns are meant to be the last resort for an officer. Were these officers carrying tasers or mace or night sticks. Did they call for back up before trying to apprehend Mr. Doucet for a second or third time. It would seem to me, as seems to be protocol, that if a person (or suspect) is behaving erratically, and yelling, causing a disturbance the first thing to do would be to call for a second squad car and try to hold the person in the location until backup arrives. Even if the officers chose to pursue to detain Mr. Doucet a second time and were unsuccessful, back up SHOULD have been called and waited for, no if ands or buts. Bottom line is yes, Mr. Doucet ha that are questionable that night, but these officers failed to follow procedures that have been put in place to prevent deaths on all sides of the fence. The incident report was revised after the LAPD realized that people were watching. The President of the Protective League has even gone as far as to insinuate that Mr. Doucet was on PCP that night, which is false, and will be proven in the investigative reports. The LAPD needs to be held accountable for their actions and the actions of the officers on their line of duty. I understand that these men and woman serving are people and have families to tend to at the end of the day, however, they chose to become part of the LAPD knowing the challenges that they may face on a daily basis; that in itself is a commitment to hold themselves to a high standard than other community members. I will not be satisfied with the lies of the LAPD and neither will many others. I will be watching closely and following closely, as this is not just another unfortunate circumstance, it is sadly another person gunned down unjustifiably by the LAPD. The LA community needs to wake up and pay attention before this is there loved one laying in a casket too early, then they will be the ones crying out for help, sadly.

Looking forward to the truth.

[JJ]

The story has been changing like seasons. I'm not sure how I feel about LAPD. This man was unarmed, naked, and according to reports not on any sort of drug or alcohol. Why was fatal force used? Especially if your gun is supposed to be the last resort. Why was he shot fatally at that? This is a very interesting story.

[The Educated Citizen]

Seem to be quite a few armchair police officers commenting here! Just because someone "comes from a long line of officers", loosly translated, they have not one shred of police training for themselves. Just stories they've heard others who have walked the line repeat. I wonder if any of you quasi intellects would use the tazer, spray, baton or the gun if you were in a knock down drag out fight for your lives with a man like Mr. Doucet? I would bet the farm you'd use the gun, if you were about to be killed by a man like Mr. Doucet. Not only did he have delusions of granger, but this deranged young man, Mr. Doucet, was clearly on drugs, and if in fact he did attempt to take the officers gun, that is why he was killed. And understandably so. All you haters of law enforcement would find fault in anything these LAPD does no matter what the outcome. This incident, caused completely by Mr. Doucet, only gives you another reason to bash the police officers. The LAPD officers involved are just glad that Mr. Doucet didn't get the gun away from the officer and kill them. I as a tax paying Los Angeles citizen, am glad the officers had the courage to save their own lives so that I didn't have to read about another police officer getting killed. The past 24 days has been rough for the law enforcement community with 14 deaths, 9 of them by gunfire, and 1/2 dozen more officers shot but not killed. So I am just happy that these two LAPD officers weren't numbers 15 & 16! I'm sure they wish Mr.Doucet "only" disobeyed their commands and it took only a bit longer to get him into under control or in cuffs. But instead, Mr. Doucet tried to murder a police officer, and was killed only because of his own actions. To expect the officers to "taze" him, pepper spray him or hit him with a baton just shows how uneducated and ignorant some people are. I'm just a law abiding citizen and know that there is no way that I will ever be in a situation where I act like Mr. Doucet and get shot by the police. He seemed to have lived by the sword, and now he has died by the sword. It's a shame that his life was taken, but the shame is on him and his deadly behavior, not the LAPD. And yes he most likely was on some kind of narcotic, and yes most likely PCP. That or he really was a worse human being than most of you that "knew him" really knew.
And the story sounds the same as the story that was told the first time it was reported. Unless you go to some law enforcement hating web sites, then what do you expect.

Again, I'm glad the officers are ok! And thank you to the men and women of the LAPD for keeping us all safe!

[Benza]

I knew Reggie personally and am outraged at this story. If you knew Reggie he was a good man who never got in trouble with the law and never did drugs or alchohol. This doesn't make any sense to me and I dont understand any of this. My prayers and sorrow go out to his family.
He will be missed all over the nation. He touched so many people.