Suspect Points Loaded Gun at Pursuing LAPD Officers

Los Angeles: On Tuesday evening, LAPD officers stopped to question two men in an apartment complex.  One of the men grabbed for an object in his waistband, ran away from the officers then pointed a gun as they followed him on foot.

On August 11, 2009, at around 10 p.m., Southeast Area Gang Enforcement Detail Officers Armando Leyva, 5 years, 2 months with the LAPD and his partner were in the Avalon Gardens Housing Development.  They saw two young looking men in the 600 block of Camelot Way and made an attempt to talk with them.  

One of the suspects grabbed his waistband and began running.  Both officers ran after 25-year-old Dante Randall and saw him holding a handgun.  Randall turned and pointed the gun at the officers and Officer Leyva fired his service weapon.  Randall was not hit by the gunfire and continued to run away from the officers.  Dante Randall was taken into custody in the 700 block of Camelot Way.  
 
Canine officers searched the path that Randall took to run away from the officers and found narcotics and a loaded handgun.  The second suspect left the location and has not yet been identified.

Force Investigation Division (FID) is investigating the officer involved shooting and FID’s Criminal Apprehension Team is investigating the crime, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, against the officers. For more information, please call Media Relation Section at 213-485-3586.