Officer-Involved Shooting Occurs in West Valley NR13553ne

***Updated:***

The officers involved in the below incident have been identified as Police Officer II Efrain Juarez and Police Officer II Blake Csicsai.

Los Angeles:  Los Angeles Police Department West Valley police officers responding to a ‘Robbery in Progress’ results in an officer-involved shooting.

On Tuesday, July 8, 2013, around 4:25 p.m., officers responded to the 7300 block of Reseda Boulevard.  Upon their arrival officers were advised that the suspects had fled the location in a black sport utility vehicle.  The LAPD Air Unit responded and directed the officers to a black Cadillac Escalade, fleeing the location.  A pursuit was initiated when the Escalade failed to stop.  As the officers pursued the Escalade westbound on Ingomar Street, it stopped at Tampa Avenue.  The suspect later identified as Kirkham Gastelum exited the vehicle from the passenger seat and fired numerous rounds at officers as they were pulling up in their police vehicle.  An officer involved shooting ensued.  The black Escalade continued northbound on Tampa Avenue.  The suspect, Gastelum also ran from the location northbound on Tampa Avenue.  As officers tracked Gastelum in their police vehicle, Gastelum pointed his firearm back at the officers.  The officers re-engaged Gastelum.  Gastelum ran to the rear of 7822 Tampa Avenue.  A perimeter was set-up and LAPD Metropolitan Division officers responded.  The suspect was taken into custody after a K-9 contact to the rear of 7816 Tampa Avenue.

Los Angeles Fire Department responded and transported the suspect Gatelum to a local hospital where he was treated for a gunshot wound and K-9 contact.  The suspect was medically cleared and booked.

The driver of the Escalade, suspect Tyler Gibson was taken into custody without incident after he was involved in a traffic collision on Tampa Avenue and Strathern Street.

A revolver and semi-automatic pistol were recovered from the area where the suspect Gastelum was taken into custody.  One officer was treated for debris to his eye.

Force Investigation Division responded to the incident and will conduct a thorough investigation of the officer-involved shooting.

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 an officer’s 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.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged 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.