Suspect Aims Gun at Officer in South Los Angeles NR12262gb

Update
June 13, 2012

The officers involved in the officer-involved shooting have been identified as: Police Officer II Vincent Rojas, 5 years 4 months with the Department and Police Officer II Oscar Medina, 5 years 3 months with the Department.  The investigation revealed the suspect reached for his waistband and threatened the officer, at which point an officer-involved shooting occurred.

Los Angeles:  An officer-involved shooting occurred after a man armed with a handgun pointed his weapon at an LAPD officer.
 
On June 6, 2012, around 8 p.m., South Bureau Criminal Gang Homicide Division (CGHD) officers were in the area of 47th Street and Hoover Avenue.  When they observed a black Ford Focus, with two male Black occupants.  Officers conducted a check on the vehicle license and were advised that the vehicle was stolen.

The suspect vehicle came to a stop in the 900 block of West 47th Street and the driver of the suspect vehicle who was later identified as Gregory Howard, exited and ran east on 47th Street, while the passenger George Scott remained in the vehicle.  The police vehicle stopped and one of the officers ran after Howard while the other officer took Scott into custody.

Howard ran to the rear area of the 880 block of West 47th Street followed by an officer.  Howard jumped a chain link fence and while faced toward the officer, verbally threatened him and pointed a handgun at the officer at which time an officer involved shooting occurred. Howard was not struck and fled.  Officers immediately established a perimeter around the area.
 
Metropolitan Division personnel, which included K-9 and SWAT, responded to the scene.  During a systematic search, the suspect was located in the 850 block of West 48th Street and a K-9 contact occurred.  Howard was taken into custody without further incident.  Howard was transported to a local hospital where he was admitted for injuries suffered during the K-9 contact.
 
No officers were injured during this incident. There was no handgun located at the location of the officer-involved shooting or where the suspect was taken into custody.
 
Force Investigation Division (FID) personnel responded and will conduct a thorough investigation of the officer involved shooting. The investigation is ongoing.
 
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 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.