LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, May 11, 2000
" One Suspect Taken Into Custody After Attempting to Murder a Victim and Then Committing an Assault With a Deadly Weapon Against Two Los Angeles Police Officers"
Los Angeles – On Thursday, May 11, 2000, at approximately 10:20 A.M., Narcotics Division, Field Enforcement Section plain clothes officers, were stopped at a posted stop sign, west on Westhaven Street at Hauser Boulevard, when they observed three males in a parked vehicle. One of the males exited the vehicle and walked to a nearby parked vehicle where he drew a weapon and fired into the vehicle at a male victim who was seated inside. The officers immediately exited their vehicle, identified themselves as police officers and ordered the suspect to drop the weapon. The suspect failed to comply and ran toward the officers at which time he pointed his weapon at the officers. In fear for their lives, both officers fired their service weapons at the suspect. The suspect continued running and again pointed his weapon at the officers, resulting in an additional officer-involved shooting. The suspect then disappeared from the view of the officers. A perimeter was immediately established. Later, a search was conducted by officers from Metropolitan Division, who located the suspect hiding under a nearby vehicle.
The suspect sustained a gunshot wound to his leg and was transported by LAFD paramedics to a local hospital. The suspect was treated and then booked in the Jail Ward at County USC Medical Center. He is listed in stable condition.
The victim of the original shooting was also transported to a local hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the leg and released. A nearby resident was also struck by gunfire, resulting in a minor graze wound to his upper back. He was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released.
The search for the suspect’s weapon is on-going. The other two individuals were detained by Southwest Area uniformed-officers, as they were fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
Robbery Homicide Division is conducting the investigation.
Please direct all inquiries to Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.
For Release 10:00 am PDT
May 12, 2000