Off-Duty Downey Police Officer Involved in Hollywood Shooting

June 13, 2001

"Off Duty Downey Police Officer Involved in Hollywood Shooting"
 
Hollywood – On Tuesday, June 12, 2001 at approximately 11:20 PM, a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer observed a motorist, subsequently identified as Deon Speer, age 34, with two adult companions, commit a traffic violation in the area of Highland Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard. The officer activated the emergency lights and siren of the police vehicle and attempted to stop Speer. The suspect failed to stop and attempted to elude the officer. A brief pursuit ensued at which time the CHP officer terminated the pursuit.
The suspect’s vehicle continued at a high rate of speed and collided at Martel Avenue and Sunset Boulevard with a vehicle occupied by an off-duty Downey police officer and a companion. Suspect Speer failed to stop and continued to drive at a high rate of speed. The Downey police officer followed the fleeing vehicle as the officer utilized a cellular telephone to summon assistance. The suspect’s vehicle continued to the 8000 Block of Woodland Lane, where the suspect turned his vehicle toward the officer’s vehicle and accelerated, causing a collision with the officer’s vehicle. During this sequence of events, an officer-involved shooting occurred. Suspect Speer and the two occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody. Speer was transported to a local hospital and treated for multiple gunshot wounds. The two occupants of Speer’s vehicle received minor injuries as a result of the traffic collision. One occupant was arrested for an unrelated warrant.
The Downey police officer and his companion were treated for minor injuries as a result of the initial traffic collision. Robbery-Homicide Division personnel are conducting the investigation. Suspect Speer will be booked for Assault With a Deadly Weapon on a Police Officer. Subsequent investigation revealed that the vehicle driven by Suspect Speer had been reported stolen in San Francisco.
It is believed that Suspect Speer may have been engaged in other criminal activity in the Los Angeles area in the last several days. Persons with information regarding the matter may contact Robbery-Homicide Division at telephone 213-485-2129 or off-hours, Detective Headquarters Division, at telephone 213-485-3261.
This press release was prepared by Officer Haley Purece, Media Relations Section.
For further information, contact Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.