Southwest Division Officer-Involved Shooting at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza NRF024-18cr

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***UPDATE***

The employees involved in the below incident have been identified as Sergeant I Ryan Lee, Serial No. 36603 and Police Officer II Martin Robles, Serial No. 41225, Southwest Division.

**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 within the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza late Tuesday afternoon.

On April 10, 2018, around 5:43 p.m., Southwest Division uniformed officers responded to the comments of a radio call indicating a “Man with a Knife” within the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza located at the 3600 block of W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Upon the officer’s arrival, they entered the mall and encountered a Male, Black suspect that was aggressively waving a long knife. The officers began to verbalize with the suspect and repeatedly commanded him to put the knife down. The suspect was very agitated and it appeared that he was possibly under the influence or was going through a mental health crisis. The suspect then ran in the direction of mall patrons with the knife in hand at which time and an Officer-Involved Shooting occurred.

The suspect was struck by gunfire and was taken into custody without further incident. Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) paramedics responded to the scene and rendered emergency medical aid but the suspect was pronounced deceased.

The knife was located at scene and booked as evidence. Fortunately, no officers or patrons within the mall were injured as a result of this incident. It appears this was an isolated incident and not a mass knife attack situation.

LAPD’s specialized Force Investigation Division (FID) responded to the scene and began interviewing witnesses and collecting forensic evidence. A representative from the Office of the Inspector General responded and monitored the on-scene investigation.

The complete investigation will be reviewed by the Chief of Police and 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, representatives from 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 officers(s) was reasonable.

Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is urged to call the LAPD at any of the following numbers:

• During business hours at (213) 486-5230;
• During non-business hours or on weekends at (877)-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247);
• Anonymously 24-hours a day to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or by texting “LAPD” and your tip to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S); or
• Online at www.lapdonline.org and click on “Anonymous Web Tips.