Pursuits Results in Officer Involved Shooting NRF048-15ne

June 29, 2015

***UPDATE***

Updated: The officers involved in the below incident have been identified as Police Officers, Salvador Torres, Serial No. 39671, Nathan Brown, Serial No. 37323, Lester Castillo, Serial No. 39689, Brett Populorum, Serial No. 41484, Aaron Harrington, Serial No. 41254 and Police Officer Anthony Hugoboom, Serial No. 41159.

June 23, 2015

***Update***

**The following information is based on a preliminary, 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 incident may change as the investigation continues and additional evidence is collected and analyzed.**

Los Angeles: Early Friday morning on June 19, 2015, at around 1 a.m., two uniformed officers assigned to Southeast Patrol Division, responded to a Domestic Violence radio call at the 9300 block of Firth Boulevard.

Comments of the radio call identified the suspect as Raul Martinez and advised that the suspect had battered his wife and possibly under the influence of methamphetamine. Comments also stated that he was possibly driving the victim’s white Toyota Sienna van.

When the officers arrived to the location, the officers saw Martinez in the van and attempted to negotiate a traffic stop. Martinez failed to yield to the officers and a pursuit ensued involving numerous other Southeast Patrol Division officers and supervisors.

During the pursuit, Martinez called the California Highway Patrol via 911 and advised he had a gun in his lap and was suicidal. The pursuit lasted approximately two hours and traveled through Los Angeles and numerous other neighboring cities. At around 3:15 a.m., Martinez stopped his vehicle in the 2600 block of Cogswell Avenue in the City of El Monte and got out armed with a black semi-automatic handgun. An officer deployed a beanbag shotgun firing numerous rounds at Martinez and when he pointed the handgun at officers, an officer-involved shooting occurred.

Martinez appeared unaffected by both the beanbag rounds and the gunfire and got back into the vehicle and the pursuit continued. Around 3:40 a.m., the pursuit terminated on Valley Boulevard just north of Mountain View Road. Martinez exited the van, pointed the handgun at officers, and a second officer-involved shooting occurred. Martinez was struck by gunfire and fell to the ground where he was taken into custody without further incident.

Paramedics with Los Angeles County Fire Department Rescue responded, rendered medical aid, and transported Martinez to a local hospital.

A replica black semi-automatic pistol was recovered from the ground near where Martinez fell. No officers were injured.

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

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 Departments 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 is asked 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.