Officer Brian Brown Killed in the Line of Duty

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, November 30, 1998
Los Angeles Police Officer Brian Brown Killed in the Line of Duty

On November 29, 1998, at approximately 9:30 P.M., Pacific Area uniformed Officers Brian Brown, serial number 32054, 27 years of age, three years with the Department and Francisco Dominguez, serial number 34396, 26 years of age, one year with the Department, working Unit 14A45, were travelling on Centinela Avenue when they heard gunfire. They immediately observed a male Hispanic with a rifle enter the passenger side of a dark-colored Honda. The Honda fled, with the officers in pursuit. Pacific Area uniformed Officers Peter McCoy, serial number 33409, 28 years of age and one and one-half years with the Department, and Jason Thompson, serial number 33510, 26 years of age and two years with the Department, working Unit 14X54, joined the pursuit, which terminated when the driver of the Honda lost control of the vehicle. The passenger, still seated in the vehicle, immediately opened fire on the officers with an assault weapon. Officer Brown was struck by the gunfire and was fatally wounded. Officers Dominguez, McCoy and Thompson returned fire, resulting in the death of the suspect.

The driver of the Honda fled on foot from the scene to a nearby convenience market where he stole a taxi cab. Pacific Area uniformed Officers Michael Porter, serial number 30729, 30 years of age and five years with the Department, and Steven Wills, serial number 33368, 29 years of age and 2 years with the Department, assigned to Pacific Area CRASH, joined other Pacific Area officers in a vehicle pursuit of the suspect. The pursuit ended in the lower level of Terminal One in the Los Angeles International Airport when the taxi cab collided with a privately-owned vehicle. The suspect fled on foot in the roadway with several officers in foot pursuit behind him. Reaching the middle of the main thoroughfare, the suspect turned and faced the officers, pointing a dark-colored object at them that appeared to be a handgun. In defense of their lives, Officers Porter and Wills fired their service pistols at the suspect, striking him numerous times. He was taken into custody without further incident and transported to a local hospital, where he was admitted in serious condition.

At this time, the suspects have not been positively identified. There were no other injuries as a result of this incident.

Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery-Homicide Division is investigating the incident.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Files Charges Against the Murder of Los Angeles Police Officer Brian Brown

For Release 11:20 am PST
November 30, 1998