Officer-Involved-Shooting in Central Division NRF015-17ma

March 7, 2017

Update

The officer involved in the below incident has been identified as Police Officer III Charles Garcia, Serial #30882.

**The following information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**

Los Angeles: On March 4, 2017, around 12:30 p.m., officers assigned to Central Area Patrol responded to a radio call, “ADW in Progress”, at Broadway and Olympic Ave. The comments of the radio call described a male Hispanic armed a pipe. When the officers arrived, they exited their police vehicle and saw a man, matching the description of the male from the comments of the radio call, armed with a four to five foot metal pipe. The officers used a TASER, but ultimately the incident resulted in an officer-involved-shooting. One officer, with over twenty years with the LAPD, fired two rounds at the man. The man was transported to a local hospital and died as a result of the gunshot wounds. Numerous witnesses were at scene and will be interviewed by Force Investigation Division detectives. Detectives are also gathering several cell phone videos taken by witnesses of the incident and will review those as part of the investigation.

No officers were injured during this incident.

LAPD’s specialized Force Investigation Division (FID) responded to the scene and began interviewing witnesses and collecting forensic evidence. The Office of the Inspector General and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office had a representative at the scene. The complete investigation will be reviewed by the Chief of Police and the Board of Police Commissioners to determine whether the use of deadly force complied with LAPD’s policies and procedures. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office will also review the evidence collected during the investigation to determine whether any criminal laws were violated.

Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is urged to call the LAPD at any of the following numbers: •During business hours at (213) 486-5230; •During non-business hours or on weekends at (877)-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247); • Anonymously 24-hours a day to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or by texting “LAPD” and your tip to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S); or •Online at www.lapdonline.org and click on “Anonymous Web Tips.