Officer Involved Shooting in Devonshire Area
LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, April 21, 2000
"Officer Involved Shooting in Devonshire Area"
Chatsworth-On April 20, 2000, at approximately 6:50 PM., Devonshire patrol officers responded to a radio call of "Domestic Violence/415 Man with a Gun" at the 22300 block of Devonshire Street. Upon the officers' arrival, they met the suspect's wife outside the location. The suspect's wife advised officers that her husband was inside their residence armed with a handgun. The officers established telephonic contact with the suspect and attempted to get him to exit the residence. The suspect repeatedly opened the front door and threatened to shoot the officers who were deployed outside the residence.
At approximately 8:20 PM, the suspect again exited the residence and fired his handgun at the officers. Devonshire uniformed officers Adrian Moody, Serial No. 32295, 33 years of age, 4 ½ years with the Department and Michael Guttilla, Serial No. 32456, 26 years of age, 4 ½ years with the Department, in fear for their lives, fired their Department shotguns at the suspect. The suspect was not hit. The suspect then re-entered his residence.
Devonshire patrol officers now confronted with an armed barricaded suspect, requested assistance from Metropolitan Division's, Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) unit. SWAT officers deployed on the suspect's residence at approximately 9:00 PM and began telephonic negotiations with the suspect. The suspect repeatedly exited the residence requesting the officers to fix his telephone which was directly linked to the SWAT negotiator. Negotiators, who included psychologists from the Department's Behavioral Science Services, continued negotiations until approximately 11:00 PM, at which time the suspect stepped outside his residence and fired his handgun at SWAT officers who were deployed outside the location. SWAT officers Bruce Hunt, Serial No. 25893, 37 years of age, 12 years with the Department, Michael Baker, Serial No. 24964, 46 years of age, 15 years with the Department, and Steven Gordon, Serial No. 26381, 33 years of age, 12 years with the Department,in fear for their lives, simultaneously returned fire striking the suspect. The suspect, identified as James Shea, male White, 58 years of age, was taken into custody without further incident. The suspect was transported to a local hospital where he was admitted for his injuries. The suspect's revolver was recovered at the scene. Shea will be booked for Attempted Murder.
No officers or civilians were injured during this incident.
Robbery Homicide Division will be conducting the investigation.
For further information, contact Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.
For Release 10:00 am PST
April 21, 2000
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