Officer-Involved Shooting in Hollenbeck Division NRF002-22bb

January 19, 2022

UPDATED

The officer involved in the below incident has been identified as Hollenbeck Patrol Division Police Officer II Keoni Smith, Serial No. 41231.

**The following information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**

Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Force Investigation Division is investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) that occurred in Newton Division.

On January 11, 2022, around 8:14 p.m., Hollenbeck patrol officers pulled into a parking lot of a business near the intersection of Main St. and Johnston St. and began to have a consensual encounter with the suspect. During the encounter, the suspect spontaneously fled on foot. One officer observed the suspect holding a firearm in his waistband as he fled, and officers went in foot pursuit.

During the foot pursuit, the suspect produced a firearm and an Officer Involved Shooting occurred. The suspect threw the firearm over a fence and continued to run from the officers. The officers were able to catch up to the suspect and became involved in a Non-Categorical Use of Force involving the use of a taser and physical force to take the suspect into custody without further incident. The suspect’s loaded firearm was recovered at scene and will be booked as evidence.

The suspect was not struck by gunfire; however, he was transported to a local hospital for taser dart removal and was cleared for booking by the medical staff.

No officers were injured during the incident.

LAPD’s specialized Force Investigation Division responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses and supervised the collection of evidence by the Forensic Science Division. The complete investigation will be reviewed by the Chief of Police, the Board of Police Commissioners, and the Office of the Inspector General to determine the thoroughness and accuracy of the investigation and whether the use of deadly force complied with LAPD’s policies and procedures.

Additionally, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who responded to the scene will review the subsequent FID investigation, evidence collected, and witness statements to determine if the force used by the officer was reasonable.