Officer-Involved Shooting Occurred During Service of a Search Warrant NR13095ne

March 24, 2013

Los Angeles: On March 15, 2013, around 9:40 a.m., detectives and officers assigned to the Van Nuys Area Narcotics Enforcement Detail (NED) were serving a search warrant at a residence where a known suspect lived in the 8000 block of Lurline Avenue in the Topanga Area. As the officers approached the residence they saw the named suspect of the warrant standing in front the location and a Non-Categorical Use of Force occurred when the officers took the suspect into custody.

At the time, the NED officers proceeded to the front door of the location in an attempt to serve the search warrant. After giving verbal knock and notice commands and not getting a response from inside the residence, the officers breached the front door and entered. Police Officer II Giovanni Espinoza was first to make entry when he saw a male, later identified as Alelerdo Hurtado in the living room holding a possible handgun at which time an officer-involved shooting occurred. Hurtado fell to the ground and was taken into custody. Hurtado was not injured and the investigation subsequently determined he was the owner of the residence. No officers were injured.

Force Investigation Division Detectives are investigating the officer-involved shooting and Van Nuys Narcotics Enforcement Detail detectives are conducting the narcotics investigation.

The investigation will ultimately be reviewed by the Chief of Police, Office of the Inspector General and The 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 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.