Attempted Arrest of a Car Theft Suspect Results in Officer Involved Shooting

"Attempted Arrest of a Car Theft Suspect Results in Officer Involved Shooting"
 
Los Angeles: On January 23, 2002, at approximately 9:15 p.m., West Valley uniformed police officers responded to the 16500 block of Ventura Boulevard to investigate a vehicle parked in a handicap parking space in front of a Barnes and Noble book store.
The officers’ preliminary investigation revealed the vehicle was reported stolen and had been used in a vehicular pursuit within the last several days and had eluded pursuing officers.
While officers were in surveillance of the vehicle the suspect, described as a male White in his late 20’s, returned and entered the vehicle. Officers then converged on the vehicle, blocking its exit from the parking area. The officers ordered the suspect to exit the vehicle numerous times. The orders included the use of the police vehicles’ public address system. Although the suspect looked in the officers’ direction on several occasions, he refused to comply with the officers’ orders. The supervisor on scene, fearing the suspect might suddenly attempt to ram his officers and flee, putting the public’s safety at risk, ordered officers to extract the suspect from the vehicle via the driver’s door. The officers approached the driver’s door of the truck. Officer Jeffrey Ingalls, 30 years of age and six years with the department, attempted to open the driver’s door finding it locked. Officer Ingalls then broke out the driver’s door window with his baton and reached into the vehicle. Officer Ingalls observed the suspect clutching a semi-automatic pistol in his right hand. He extracted his arm from the window and quickly informed the other officers that the suspect had a gun. The suspect then pointed the pistol at Officer Ingalls who, in fear for his life and the lives of his fellow officers, drew his service pistol and fired one round at the suspect. Officers then redeployed to a safer location. The officers again ordered the suspect to exit the vehicle. The suspect did not comply. Believing the suspect had been wounded, officers ordered the suspect to exit the vehicle so that medical aid could be rendered to him. The officers observed movement from the suspect but he did not comply with their orders. Now facing an armed barricaded suspect the officers requested SWAT officers to respond. SWAT arrived and extracted the suspect from the vehicle taking him into custody without further incident.
The suspect was pronounced dead by LAFD paramedics. A loaded .45 caliber pistol and additional .45 caliber ammunition were found in the vehicle.
No officers were injured as a result of this incident.
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department, Critical Incident Investigation Division, assumed responsibility of the investigation.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Roll-Out Team responded and will conduct an independent investigation as deemed necessary.
This press release was prepared by Sergeant John Pasquariello, Media Relations Section.
For further information regarding this release, contact Media Relations section, 213 485-3586.