Juvenile Attempts Suicide While Officer Serve Arrest Warrant

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, April 19, 1999

On Wednesday, April 14, 1999, agents from the California Youth Authority Apprehension Unit and the California Department of Justice went to 1100 block of South Masselin Avenue to serve an arrest warrant for Swahili Rainey, a CYA parole violator. A 16-year-old juvenile, not the individual sought on the warrant, answered the door upon the officers knocking and identifying themselves.

The juvenile, who was armed with a handgun, pointed it at the officers. The juvenile then retreated back into the apartment and barricaded himself. Metropolitan Division SWAT personnel responded to the location. His mother and members of the Department’s crisis negotiation team attempted to talk him into putting down his gun and coming out of the apartment. All attempts to get the juvenile to put the gun down and come out of the apartment failed. Officers entered the apartment after deploying tear gas to disable the juvenile. Upon entering the location officers observed the juvenile lying on the floor of the living room with a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to his right temple. A small caliber handgun was found lying on the floor directly above the subject’s head.

The apartment was checked and no other occupants were found in the apartment. The juvenile was transported to Cedar Sinai Hospital by Rescue Ambulance. He was treated for his injuries and is currently listed in critical condition.

For Release 10:15 am PDT
April 19, 1999