Officer-Involved Shooting Occurs in West Adams Area NR13435gb

Los Angeles:  On Wednesday September 18, 2013, around 5:58 p.m., Southwest Patrol Division uniformed police officers responded as a backup unit to a man with a gun radio call in the 5400 block of West Adams Boulevard in the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Southwest Area.  LAPD Air Support Division’s helicopter also arrived overhead and observed an individual that matched the description of the suspect broadcasted in the radio call.  As officers arrived, the LAPD helicopter directed officers to the suspect.

The suspect was sitting on the south curb of Adams Boulevard and was accompanied by another male Hispanic, who was sitting next to him, east of his position.  Police Officer Manuel Armenta and his partner exited their patrol car and took cover behind a parked car on the south curb, drew their service pistols and gave verbal commands in both English and Spanish.  While still seated, the suspect retrieved a handgun from his waistband area and an officer involved shooting occurred.   The suspect was struck by the officer’s rounds and was subsequently taken into custody.  The individual accompanying the suspect was not hit by gunfire.

Wilshire area uniformed police officers also arrived immediately after the officer involved shooting.  A handgun was recovered from the suspect at the scene.  Los Angeles Fire Department responded and pronounced the suspect dead at the scene.

The additional male was arrested for public intoxication and transported to Southwest Area.  There were no officers injured during the incident.

Force Investigation Division responded to the incident 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 LAPD’s 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 www.LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.