Suspect Armed With a Hand Grenade Results in an Officer Involved Shooting

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, March 31, 2000

"Suspect Armed With a Hand Grenade Results in an Officer Involved Shooting"

Los Angeles – At approximately 12:20 p.m., Newton Area uniformed Officers Tom Davoren, Serial No. 35473, 33 years of age and six months with the Department, Jeffrey Ennis, Serial No. 26861, 33 years of age and 10 years with the Department, Christopher Chavez, Serial No. 35442, 23 years of age and seven months with the Department and Mark Hyland, Serial No. 24603, 37 years of age and 15 years with the Department, responded to a 415 Man with a hand grenade radio call at 303 E. Jefferson Boulevard.

The officers were met by a security guard at the location that pointed out the suspect to them. When the suspect observed the officers, he immediately began yelling profanities, turned and ran southbound through the location. As he was running, he held a small black plastic bag in his hand and disappeared around a corner. When the officers caught up with the suspect, he had stopped and was pulling a hand grenade from the black bag. The officers ordered him to drop the hand grenade, but the suspect refused and threatened to kill them. As the suspect held onto the grenade with one hand and the pull ring with the other, he began to walk through the indoor shopping area of the location. The officers followed him and repeatedly ordered him to put down the grenade, but the suspect refused and continued to threaten to kill the officers.

The suspect moved through the location, eventually exiting the enclosed area and entering the open plaza. At this time, the officers believed the suspect was about to detonate the hand grenade, and in fear of their lives, fired their service pistols at the suspect, striking him in the upper torso, causing him to fall and drop the hand grenade.

The Bomb Squad then responded to the scene and declared the device inoperative. During their investigation they observed the pull ring on the suspects finger, detached from the grenade. Los Angeles City Fire Department paramedics responded and pronounced the suspect dead at the scene.

During the incident, three bystanders received non-life threatening gunshot wounds. Two were transported to a local hospital and one was treated at the scene and released.

Robbery Homicide Division is conducting the investigation. For any further questions, contact Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.

The suspect’s identity is being held pending notification of next of kin.

For Release 11:00 am PST
April 3, 2000