Possible Robbery Suspect Attacks Officers

August 29, 2008

Los Angeles: A possible robbery suspect is shot after he hits an arresting officer several times in the head with the handle end of a knife.  

On August 27, at around 12:50 p.m., Northeast Area Patrol Officers Paul Marquez and his partner received a radio call of a “Robbery Just Occurred” at the L.G. Electronics Store in the area of Vermont Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.  When the officers arrived, they saw a man fitting the description of the robbery suspect walking northbound on Vermont Avenue towards Sunset Boulevard .  The officers ordered the man to stop, but he refused and ran away.  After a short foot pursuit, the officers caught up with the suspect.  

While attempting to take him into custody, the suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Anthony Mayfield, pulled out a knife and hit Officer Marquez several times in the head with the handle end of the knife.  Fearing for his safety, Officer Marquez fired several rounds, shooting Mayfield once in his lower body.  Mayfied was transported to a local hospital where he underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.  He was booked for Attempted Murder on a Police Officer.  Mayfield’s connection to the robbery is still under investigation.
    
One of the rounds fired lodged into an MTA bus.  A male passenger on the bus received minor cuts from possible glass fragment and was treated and released at the scene.  Another female passenger was transported to a local hospital for symptoms of anxiety.   

There were no serious injuries to either officer.  Officer Marquez has been with the Department for three years.           

LAPD Force Investigation Division is handling the investigation.