Man Drops Bicycle, Runs and Points a Gun at Officers NR13182rh

Los Angeles: An officer-involved shooting occurred after a man pointed a handgun at the officers.

On May 20, 2013, around 11:55 p.m., Hollenbeck Division Career Criminal Unit Police Officer II Jose Hidalgo, 8 years with the Department, and his partner were on directed patrol in Hollenbeck Division, assigned unit 4Z85. The officers were in plain-clothes, attired in marked LAPD tactical vests, driving a marked black and white police vehicle when they observed the above suspect riding a bicycle without lights at Pecan Street and Kolster Street.

The suspect rode westbound Kolster Street to northbound Via Los Santos.  The officers noted the suspect was wearing a hooded sweatshirt covering his face and black gloves.  Due to the suspect’s clothing attire in a high gang area in combination with the observed moving violation, the officers opted to attempt to stop the suspect.  The suspect rode rapidly away and at one point, the suspect fell off the bicycle. The suspect then got up and ran northbound from the officers.

The officers stopped, exited their police vehicle and began to chase the suspect on foot.  The suspect removed a fully loaded .45 caliber Colt blue steel revolver from his waistband area and pointed it at the officers at which time an officer-involved shooting occurred.  The suspect was taken into custody and the officers called for medical assistance.

Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene from the gunshot wounds he sustained. No officers were injured during this incident.  The above described revolver was recovered at the scene.

Force Investigation Division responded and will conduct a thorough investigation of the officer-involved shooting.

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 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 about this incident is urged 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.