Woman Walking Down the Street with Handgun Taken into Custody by 77th Division Vice Officers NR11005SF

Los Angeles: After hearing multiple rounds of gunfire, LAPD 77th Division Vice Unit officers saw a woman walking down the street armed with a semiautomatic handgun.  The suspect looked in the officers’ direction then raised her gun toward them.  In response to the threat, an officer involved shooting occurred. No one was struck by gunfire.

On December 31, 2010, out-of-uniform vice officers were conducting a surveillance operation in the 7400 block of South Vermont Avenue.  At around 11:10 p.m., numerous gunshots were heard in the general area.  The officers heard the gunshots and then drove south on Vermont Avenue from 75th Street to investigate.

When the officers reached 76th Street, they saw a Black female, later identified as Leilanie Perkins, crossing Vermont Avenue in a northeast direction.  The vice officers made a u-turn, drove north on Vermont Avenue and saw Perkins walking with a semiautomatic handgun in her right hand.  As she stopped and stood on the east sidewalk of Vermont Avenue, she looked in the officers’ direction, and raised her weapon toward them.  One of the vice officers, Police Officer Leslie Salinas, an eight-year and one- month veteran with the Department, fired two rounds.  Perkins was not struck by the gunfire and continued to walk to the southeast corner of 75th Street and Vermont Avenue where she discarded her weapon in the gutter.  Additional officers from 77th Division responded to the location and Perkins was taken into custody without incident.

A preliminary investigation determined that Perkins was the victim of a crime that was committed earlier.  She was looking to retaliate and fired several rounds at an unnamed man.  The man, who also may have been victimized, has not been located and it is unknown if he was struck by her gunfire. The suspect, 28-year-old Leilanie Perkins was arrested for attempted murder and booked into the 77th Street Area jail.

Personnel from LAPD’s Force Investigation Division (FID) are investigating the officer involved shooting, the crime against the officers, the assault with a deadly weapon against the male and the crime which she sought to retaliate.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call FID Detectives Greg McKnight or Tim Brausam at 213-202-5677.  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 Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers 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.