Central Area Officer Involved Shooting

Chief Speaks to media regarding OIS in Downtown LA

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Central Area officers and Safer City Initiative officers attempted to detain a robbery suspect in the 500 Block of San Pedro Street, and an Officer Involved Shooting occurred.

At approximately noon today, a private citizen placed a 9-1-1 emergency call to report a robbery near 545 South San Pedro Street in downtown Los Angeles. LAPD Communications Division subsequently dispatched Central Area officers to the location who located the suspect and attempted to contact him. After making contact, however, the suspect began fighting and physically resisting the officers attempts to take him into custody. The officers attempted to use a TASER to subdue him but the suspect continued to fight and resist the officers and fell to the ground. While on the ground, the suspect and officers struggled over one of the officer's handguns and then an officer-involved shooting occurred. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded and pronounced the suspect deceased at the scene. LAFD paramedics then transported the suspect's body to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Officer. Two of the responding officers involved in the incident suffered minor injuries and were treated and released.

As in all officer-involved shootings, LAPD's specialized Force Investigative Division (FID) personnel responded to preserve and collect evidence and interview witnesses to the incident. Portions of the incident captured on video from various sources will be reviewed and analyzed as part of the ongoing use of force investigation. FID's comprehensive investigation will be conducted in coordination with the LAPD's Office of Inspector General and presented to the Board of Police Commissioners to determine whether the use of deadly force was consistent with Department policies and procedures. 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.

Anyone with information is asked to call Force Investigation Division 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 Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers 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

[Dawn Bowie]

Did you guys watch the same video I did? That was murder.

[Gillian]

This is an unjustified shooting. Why not shoot him in the leg to restrain him? Why go for a fatal shot? MULTIPLE SHOTS! Video cameras are going to drain every last bit of respect the city has for you. Good work, guys. You're a disgrace.

What happened to protecting the people?

[sharonlopez]

jack dempsey u must be a cop to or either justan idiot if it was one of your family members you would be calling for the cops head so just get real nimrod

[Tdmac]

If you shoot a person in the top of the foot, knee cap, ankle, elbow, they are 100% incapacitated. So... the question is, if this person was unsuccessful in gaining control of the officers weapon.. We're multiple lethal shots required? Better yet.... Six very large, trained officers couldn't subdue this single person? Hmmmm... Nuff' said

[karen]

when I watched this video it scares me to think that we can get shot by the police for no reason, he was tazed and the cop shot him several times, like the comment before hand I believe 1 shot, BUT 7?????? THATS BS... I hope his family sues the crap out of the LAPD they are nothing but pigs who think they can just shoot and kill people whaen they are supposed to be here to protect us, LAPD is the worst including BECK he probably tells them its okay to do that.

[Riley Lambert]

Funny the propaganda you guys allow.. Can you please release the video off of a body camera?

[Jerry Lee]

Watching a cell phone video of the incident is intense. Wow seeing someone getting killed on Facebook. Hey LAPD detectives, watch Facebook its already global.

[mark lemker]

this is business as usual for LAPD the review board is a joke its about time for police to start being truly held accountable for the violence and prosecuted for these senseless deaths

[Julie Kehrli]

I saw the video on Facebook. The man did not look like he was attacking the LAPD Officers at all, in fact in the video I saw it seemed as if they were trying to drag him around and he was DEFENDING himself. Now, granted, I do not know the entire story to this incident, but I do know the victim did not need to be shot 7 times. This is over-kill, and killing a man is NOT justice. Also, it doesn't take 7+ cops to restrain ONE man... Think about it y'all...

[Alex Lewis]

This is, quite frankly, appauling from the police officer. The man was unarmed and surrounded by 4 officers. He was also on his back and subdued.

The fact that the police department is even attempting to justify this murder, which is exactly what it is, is unbelievable.

Even if he was 'going for their guns' is irrelevant. He was surrounded by 4 police officers and was face first on the ground.

Terrible. I hope the video of this crime is posted all over the world to highlight the lack of training and common sense by these officers.

[gdb21]

RJ77, Awesome comment. Glad people around the world are watching.

[Kiki Coll]

This whole situation was a cluster F#%k, looked like a juvenile street fight. These are highly trained police officers? These officers know that the majority of the population on the row suffer from mental illness, yet they display absolutely no appropriate training when dealing with such. Why were 6 LAPD officers not able to control a situation between them and one unarmed individual? Is aggression the only tactic the academy teaches?

[Lise Tollefsen Slembe]

After watching the video posted by Norwegian media where I can see with my own eyes a defenseless homeless man being brought down by several policemen who also held the man stuck. Additionally hear electroshock sound gets more than one of these weapons then hear several shots triggered by several police officers against this homeless, I am in no doubt that this is a brutal executions conducted by the Los Angeles-police.

[Joe Hyatt]

As a former homeless Veteran who lived on Skid Row I grieve for the loss of this man. While I can understand the job of the LAPD and the dangers they face the fact still remains that this man was a human being. He was someone's son. Everyone should remember that before you marginalize who this man was and applaud his death.

[Dan]

If you can hear the Taser cycling, it was not making contact. The Taser is generally quiet when it has contact and working properly.

Additionally, the man is no loner "unarmed" once he grips the officer's weapon. Similarly, the female in the video was armed with a deadly weapon after she grabbed his baton and attempted to use it.

I'm not sure what "homeless" has to do with justifying assaults on officers. Glad your heroes survived, and hopefully at least one person will grasp the consequences of attacking and attempting to kill our police officers.

[ksl2236]

Its a combination of cowardice and laziness on the officer's part. When the going got tough he went straight to the final solution instead of putting effort to subdue and de-escalate the situation. The suspect had 3 other officers holding him down. The firing officer should be charged for his lack of level-headed judgement. Also, 7 shots at point blank range is overkill, even for an insurgent in the korengal valley of afghanistan.

[sid storch]

How come you can't even get the time right? It wasn't "about Noon." I saw the report on Fox news at 11:30 a.m. Jeez.

[strunk &white;]

What was so awesome about RJ77's comment? Do you mean awesomely incoherent? Seems like RJ77's English skills are somewhat behind those of the average German. RJ77, why don't you focus your energies on getting your government to pull its weight against ISIS, hmmm? Vorsetzlich!

[JRI49]

5 trained officers to 1 unarmed homeless man? If this was justified, then the LAPD will have to release ALL video evidence it claims it has to the public that brought them to such a determination... and not in a drip-drop fashion (flashback Ferguson, MO). The DOJ should open a civil rights investigation on how mentally disabled persons in LA are dealt with regarding use of force. So sad, after such progress made by Ofc. Dean Joseph and his crew on Skid Row over the last few years, that the LAPD has once again lost the faith and trust of the people it is sworn to serve. Skid Row habitants no longer care as much about the bad looking guy stalking behind them that might take their wallet... just the guy with the badge and the flashing lights that might take their LIFE. Totally unnecessary.

[Mark Wilson]

Fist and foremost, God bless the officers who had to be put into this situation. There is no doubt these officers were justified in the shooting, The officers need to be commended for handling the situation immediately afterwords. Obviously these officers have top-notch training, I can not think of a more stressful hostile environment to be in. These officers maintained control and proceeded to secure the crime scene. Please share with the officers on your force, there are far more people who believe in you than don't, the nay sayer's are just more vocal. Thank You for everything you do!!!

[Tim MacNachten]

My heart feels the pains of the officers who felt compelled to discharge their weapons taking the life of another human being. I am certain that they will reflect on this one micro-moment in time for the rest of their lives. I am a veteran with PTSD and know what they are going through and I hope that the L.A.P.D. will provide them with ongoing and long lasting mental health services. I was at one time a homeless person, and I do have mental health challenges. While transiting your fine city I had an occasion to be greeted by officers, my experience was not favorable and resulted in minor injury. I was not arrested but was "encouraged" to leave. This was several years ago and I wonder if the silver shield worn by some of your officer afford them a feeling of above the law actions justification. I served this nation in uniform abroad and it wasn't until I came home that I realized the hype for our veterans did not extend through the ranks of law enforcement. This OIS of a mentally challenged homeless individual shows in the public arena videos that your officers were not fully situationally aware and though there were several officers who will always "have each others back" this struggle led to the death of an innocent man (not convicted of the crime alleged). Deadly force by law enforcement seems to be the default position of police forces in the U.S.. When did this happen and why? From grandma's in their cars to unarmed children L.A. police are quick to kill those they approach. If this is found to actually be a really honest to god justified OIS, the L.A.P.D. needs to aggressively show it to the public around the world. We see our police officers today dressed in military combat uniforms, we see them over-killing citizens and this OIS is just one more reason for citizens not to trust that when they are confronted by a sworn officer that their freedom and their lives are at risk. The perception is becoming that we live in a police state and the police are doing little to dissuade that perception. What will our streets be like when the citizenry feel that the laws do not apply to the law enforcers as is the growing perception. As of yet, no law enforcement officer has been held responsible for the taking of a life when (as in this case) there is overwhelming numbers and nonlethal force measures available. From the video, these officers appear to be negligent in removing the option of lethal force. Everyone walks away, even the injured officers, when lethal force is not employed, this looked like a gangland execution by cops on video. You're going to have to go out of your way to prove this OIS was not an adrenalin rush murder by police officers. Again, Officers that truly come to work every day to actually serve and protect have the thanks and support of their citizens, officers who come to work to entrap, indict and kill as is perceived will eventually have no thanks or support. Police put themselves in harms way every day and have my thanks, but they also induce my fear. Change that perception, stop killing the citizenry.

[Art Buller]

It is interesting to see people from other countries criticizing our Police. Maybe if we could get them over here in the uncivilized USA, they would understand the consequences of hesitation by a Police Officer/s. Come here and walk the streets of our cities, like where this shooting occurred. Let's see how long it takes before you become a victim. You would be fortunate not to end up in the hospital or worse. One of the commenters says he THINKS one shot would be enough. Really, mein Freund? Let's see, this guy was tassered and that didn't work. Have you ever been tassered? I have, and I can tell you it hurts real bad and incapacitates the normal person. So, what's to make you believe one shot is going to stop this guy? I have seen four and more shots go into crazed people and they keep coming, like in Ferguson, Mo. When the adrenalin is running, these crazed people are unstoppable. So, until you have the experience of dealing with the animals infesting the USA, I suggest you deep your comments in your own countries, that is until we have to come bail you out of the messes you get yourselves into.

[Adam Ridges]

We shake our heads at the sheer brutality of yet another killing of an unarmed man in the streets od the USA.As for justice it's not going to happen the police will walk as always.As for he was going for the officers gun who do you think you are fooling.This has to Stop