Los Angeles: On July 27, 2003, at about 10:30 PM, an off duty Valley Bureau narcotics officer was shopping inside the Hollywood Video store located in the 18300 block of Vanowen Street. The officer observed a suspect enter the store, with his face covered with a bandana, and point a handgun at a clerk. The officer, fearing for the clerk’s life, drew his service pistol, identified himself as a police officer and ordered the suspect to drop the gun. The suspect did not comply with the officer’s order but rather turned and pointed what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol at the officer.

The officer, in fear for his life, fired multiple rounds at the suspect. The suspect was wounded by the gunfire and incapacitated. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the suspect to a local hospital where he failed to respond to emergency medical treatment and was subsequently pronounced dead. No one else was injured during this incident.

Further investigation revealed that the suspect’s weapon was a pellet gun resembling a semi-automatic pistol. The suspect was later identified as Porfirio Maravilla, 18 years of age and a resident of Reseda, CA.

This advisory was prepared by Lieutenant John Pasquariello, Acting Officer in Charge, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.