Suspect Shot in Hollenbeck Division NR12525cj

Update:  The officer involved in the below officer involved shooting has been identified, Police Officer II Joshua Aria from the Hollenbeck Area.

Los Angeles: On November 15, 2012, around 8:05 p.m., LAPD Hollenbeck Area patrol officers were on routine assignment. The officers were in full uniform driving a marked black and white police vehicle when they saw a man standing on the southeast corner of North Brittania and City View Streets. The officers recognized the individual from prior contacts as a known gang member and narcotic user. It appeared to the officers that the man was under the influence of an unknown controlled substance. The officers stopped and exited their car to investigate. One of the officers verbally ordered the suspect to put his hands up but the man refused to comply. He instead, removed his shirt and threw it to the ground. The suspect then ran eastbound on City View Street.

One officer chased the suspect on foot while the other followed behind in his patrol car. The suspect slowed and then stopped in the 1900 block of City View Street. The officer in the car exited and joined his partner on foot. While both officers were stopped behind the suspect they observed the suspect pulling a dark object from his waistband and point it at the officers. One of the officers believed the suspect was drawing a handgun at which time an officer involved shooting (OIS) occurred.

The suspect was taken into custody and the officers called for medical assistance. Los Angeles City paramedics responded and the suspect was transported to a local area hospital where he received medical treatment for gunshot wounds he sustained during the OIS. The officers were not injured during this incident and no weapon was recovered at the scene. The dark object that the suspect pulled from his waistband and pointed at the officers turned out to be a dark wallet.

Los Angeles Police Department Force Investigation Division (FID) responded to the incident and will be handling the investigation of the officer-involved shooting.

The investigation will ultimately be reviewed by the Chief of Police, the Office of the Inspector General and The 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 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.