Man with Gun Assaults Vice Officers

January 12, 2007

Los Angeles: Plainclothes vice officers arrested a man after he pointed a gun at the officers on January 5, 2007. Jose Erazo, 32, surrendered after one officer fired at Erazo during the confrontation.

The incident occurred around 8:30 PM, just a few minutes after a gang member shot another LAPD officer in Panorama City. Police Officer Ernest Ignacio, 40, and his partner had been driving on Sunset Boulevard when they noticed a man driving erratically near Mariposa Avenue. While the car was not apparently stolen, Officer Ignacio noticed the driver was holding a gun.

Driving in an unmarked car, the officers followed the erratic driver and requested a marked police car to detain the suspect. The driver stopped suddenly in the 1200 block of North Edgemont Street and exited his car.

When Erazo pointed the gun at the officers, Ignacio fired one time, missing the suspect, who then surrendered without firing a shot.

Detectives recovered a loaded .45-caliber pistol and booked Erazo for Assault with a Deadly Weapon against a police officer.

Officer Ignacio is a 10-year veteran of LAPD. He and his partner are assigned to the Northeast Vice Unit.

Force Investigation Division is investigating the incident.