Central Officers Involved in Law Enforcement Related Injury NRF006-19ma

Downtown Los Angeles: Patrol officers used less-lethal weapons systems during the arrest of a man with a knife who had threatened a woman in a restaurant.

On February 26th, 2019, Central Area officers responded to a radio call of an assault with a deadly weapon at a restaurant in 300 block of West 5th Street. Upon their arrival, the officers met with a woman who stated she had been inside the restaurant and the suspect, later identified as 68-year-old Kenneth Sylvas, armed himself with a knife and threatened to cut the woman’s throat. Sylvas was still seated inside the restaurant refusing to come out. The officers tried for about ten minutes to have Sylvas come out to them. After Sylvas refused to follow the directions of the officers and drop the knife and comply with their orders, the officers fired 40mm and beanbag shotgun munitions that struck him, causing him to drop the knife. Investigators recovered a knife at scene.

Sylvas was transported to a local hospital where he was admitted for an injury to his right hand. No one else was injured during the incident.

Force Investigation Division detectives responded to the incident and will conduct a thorough investigation of the Law Enforcement Related Injury.

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 policy. Additionally, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division will conduct a comprehensive review of the facts of the incident.

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.