Officials: Man shot by deputies after reaching for gun in East L.A.

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Brian Day

EAST LOS ANGELES >> Deputies shot and killed a 29-year-old man they say reached for a handgun during a traffic stop in East Los Angeles early Sunday morning.
The suspect, whose name was not released, died at the scene of the deputy-involved shooting, which took place just after 4 a.m. at Ferris Avenue and Whittier Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.
Deputies stopped the car to investigate the possibility it was stolen, according to the statement. As deputies encountered the front passenger of the car, “he became combative with the deputies, and a struggle ensued.”
Deputies saw the suspect reaching for a gun, the statement said. “Deputies gave several commands for the suspect to comply with their orders, however the suspect continued to struggle and refused to eschew his motion for his weapon. This resulted in a deputy-involved shooting.”
A .22-caliber revolver was recovered at the scene, officials said.
Two additional people inside of the car were detained for further investigation.
Anyone with information can reach the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Three arrested after West Covina police chase, officer-involved shooting

Posted on February 13, 2016 by Brian Day

WEST COVINA >> West Covina police arrested two men and a teenage girl early Saturday following chase in a stolen car and an officer-involved shooting in the unincorporated county area of South San Jose Hills in which no one was injured, officials said.
The series of events began at 3:12 a.m. when police tried to stop a 1994 Toyota Camry for a traffic violation in the area of Azusa Avenue and Amar Road, West Covina police Lt. Dennis Patton said.
“Officers attempted to make a traffic stop on a motorist, who led them on a high-speed pursuit,” Patton said. In addition the driver, which was later determined to be stolen, a second man and a teenage girl also rode in the car as passengers.
The pursuit came to an end when the car pulled into a cul-de-sac near Gemini Street and Hambledon Avenue and stopped, the lieutenant said.
“The driver abruptly put the vehicle in reverse and used the vehicle in a ramming motion in an effort to pin our lead officer between his vehicle and the door of vehicle, Patton said.
The officer fired several rounds at the approaching car, which came to a halt. No one was struck by the gunfire.
But the driver still refused orders to surrender, Patton said. Officers ultimately took him into custody with the help of a police dog.
The other two suspects were arrested without a struggle, Patton said.
All three were accused of auto theft and resisting arrest, he said.
The driver, 18-year-old Raymond Elias of El Monte, was taken to a hospital for treatment before being booked into jail, is also accused of attempted murder of a police officer and evading police.

West Covina police observe anniversary of fellow officer’s slaying

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Brian Day

WEST COVINA >> Police in West Covina are marking the anniversary of the death of a 29-year-old fellow officer who was killed in a shootout with an escaped psychiatric patient 38 years ago.
West Covina police Officer Jay Warren Jackson made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty on Jan. 14, 1978, West Covina police spokesman Rudy Lopez said. Officers will be wearing black bands over their badges in his honor throughout the day.
The officer had been in pursuit of a fleeing car down the eastbound 10 Freeway when the suspect exited at Holt Avenue and spun out, officials said. The driver jumped out of his car and hid behind as police approached.
“The suspect opened fire on responding officers and Officer Jackson as they approached the now disabled vehicle, Lopez said. “Officer Jackson was struck by gunfire and succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter.”
Jackson’s name is one of three emblazoned on the West Covina Police Memorial, honoring police officers who died while serving West Covina. And like the other two fallen West Covina officers, a street sign marks the location of his slaying.
Fellow officers shot and killed the suspect, who it was later learned had fled from a psychiatric facility and made threats of suicide to family and friends, according to Lopez.
Born in Pasadena on Nov. 7, 1948, Jackson was raised in West Covina. He joined the U.S. Army in 1968 and received an honorable discharge with the rank of sergeant four years later.
He married his wife, Patricia, in 1971 and the couple a daughter, Shauna, in 1973.
Jackson began his career with the Azusa Police Department in 1973, graduating the Rio Hondo Police Academy the following year. He joined the West Covina Police Department as a patrol officer in 1977.
In addition to his wife and daughter, Jackson is survived by his mother, Cora Jackson, and two sisters.

PHOTOS of fallen Officer Jay Warren Jackson, street sign, West Covina Police Memorial Courtesy of the West Covina Police Department.

La Habra police shoot suspect in Whittier

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Brian Day

WHITTIER >> La Habra police shot and wounded a suspect during an encounter in Whittier late Sunday, officials said.
The suspect, initially described only as an adult, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following the officer-involved shooting, La Habra Police Sgt. Kyle Davis said.
Officers were following up on a theft investigation shortly after 7:30 p.m. when they encountered the man in the area of Russell Street and Tigrina Avenue and the shooting took place, he said. No officers were injured.
No further details were available.

Suspect named in fatal Lynwood deputy-involved shooting

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Brian Day

Following the fatal shooting of an armed man by deputies at a busy Lynwood intersection Saturday captured on video by a cell phone camera, Los Angeles sheriff’s officials released additional imaged depicting the suspect clutching a handgun throughout the deadly encounter.
Nicholas Robertson, 28, of Lynwood died at the scene of the shooting, which unfolded just before 11 a.m. Saturday at Long Beach Boulevard and Magnolia Avenue, according to Los Angeles county sheriff’s and coroner officials.
Graphic cell phone camera video obtained by KTLA depicts deputies firing more than 30 bullets at Robertson, more than a dozen of which were fired as the seemingly wounded suspect crawls away from the deputies.
Sheriff’s officials released new images taken from area surveillance cameras during a news conference Sunday showing the suspect brandishing a handgun — described by investigators as a .45-caliber pistol — prior to and during the confrontation with deputies.
“He retained the weapon throughout the event. The weapon was recovered from directly beneath him,” Capt. Steve Katz of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said.
Witnesses, as well as physical evidence, indicated Robertson had fired his gun six to seven times into the air before deputies arrived on scene in response to half-a-dozen 911 calls reporting a gunman walking down the street, Katz said.
The gun was unloaded when recovered, however two live rounds were sitting within Robertson’s grasp, Katz said.
The gunman refused the deputy’s orders to drop his handgun and continued walked toward a gas station filled with customers, officials said.
As the suspect walked, gun in his left hand, “The movement of the suspect indicated he was motioning in the direction of the deputy sheriffs,” Katz said. The captain said Robertson motioned his weapon in deputies’ direction, but stopped short of alleging he pointed the gun at the deputies.
“The suspect presented a threat to the deputies and the community, and they took the action that they did,” Katz said. The suspect was not believed to have fired his gun toward deputies.
The information released Sunday differed from the sheriff’s departments initial account of the shooting, relayed in a written statement Saturday afternoon, which described the gun recovered from Robertson as “loaded” and stated that “Witnesses in the immediate area said they saw the suspect turn and point the gun at the deputies prior to the shooting.”
The motive for Robertson’s alleged bizarre behavior while armed was unclear, as was whether he may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“The information that we have at this point is that there may have been some domestic discord between him and a spouse that may have been a factor that agitated him to some degree, but we haven’t really verified that information yet,” Katz said.
Sheriff’s officials asked coroner’s investigators to expedite their investigation, including toxicology tests, he added.
Sheriff Jim McDonnell promised a comprehensive and transparent investigation.
“I want to ensure the public that the sheriff’s department takes deputy-involved shootings very seriously and that this investigation will be handled with the utmost professionalism and integrity,” he said.
The two involved deputies have been “reassigned from field duty, and they will remain so until we’ve gathered the facts and completed out assessment,” McDonnell said.
The involved deputies were not identified Sunday. Katz described them both as having one year and 18 months experience “in the field,” respectively.
“(Robertson) has had prior contacts with the criminal justice system, but we won’t go into great detail about him at this point,” McDonnell said.
Robertson had several misdemeanor and infraction convictions in his past, but no felonies, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court records.
Most recently, Robertson was convicted of assault in May and sentenced to four days in jail and two years of probation, records show. He also had convictions for driving on a suspended or revoked license, DUI while underage, causing a disturbance on public transit and trespassing.
The sheriff asked that anyone with additional information or video regarding the shooting to contact the sheriff’s homicide detectives, who are spearheading the investigation.
The Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau can be reached at 323-890-5500.

Surveillance video, photos *below) provided by LASD:

Whittier man killed in Norwalk deputy-involved shooting identified

Posted on December 5, 2015 by Brian Day

NORWALK >> Authorities have released the identity of an 18-year-old Whittier man fatally shot by deputies Tuesday after allegedly pointing a gun at the law enforcement officers.
John Anthony Gonzalez died at the scene of the 6:33 p.m. deputy-involved shooting at Imperial Highway and Pioneer Boulevard, Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Lt. David Smith said.
A second man, who officials said also pointed a gun at deputies, was arrested without injury, deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement. His identity has not been released, and it was unclear Saturday whether criminal charges had been filed against him.
Sheriff’s officials said they recovered both suspects’ guns, but have released no further details regarding the shooting or what led up to it.

Dog shot by police officer in Whittier

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Brian Day

WHITTIER >> A police officer shot and wounded a put bull that charged at him as he was investigating a report of a disturbance at a Whittier home Friday, officials said.
The dog is expected to recover and the officer suffered no injuries in the incident, which unfolded about 4 p.m. in the 11200 block of Larrylyn Drive, Whittier police Lt. Aaron Ruiz said.
An officer responded to a report of a dispute between a landlord and tenant, Ruiz said.
As the officer contact a resident, the pit bull ran past the dog owner and toward the officer, the lieutenant said.
Fearing for his safety, Ruiz said, the officer fired three shots from his duty weapon, striking the dog twice.
The dog was treated by a veterinarian and is expected to make a full recovery, Ruiz said.
No arrests resulted from the incident, or from the initial call of a disturbance.

Suspect fatally shot by deputy in Valinda identified

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Brian Day

VALINDA >> Coroner’s officials have identified a 25-year-old Baldwin Park man who was fatally shot by a deputy Friday after he allegedly broke into a family’s home while fleeing deputies, then reached for a deputy’s gun, officials said.
Johnny Angel Rangel died in the 1:18 a.m. deputy-involved shooting at a home in the 800 block of Ashcomb Drive, in the unincorporated county area of Valinda, Lt. David Smith of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said.
Rangel’s city of residence was not listed in coroner’s records, however police described him as a Baldwin Park resident when he was arrested in West Covina last year.
Deputies patrolling spotted Rangel at Azusa Avenue and Amar Road early Friday morning and thought him to be suspicious, Detective Louie Aguilera of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said. When they approached him, he ran.
Rangel broke into a nearby home on Ashcomb Drive, Aguilera said. A family comprised of two men and two women was sleeping inside.
Deputies evacuated the residents, but Rangel refused to exit the home, officials said.
“Deputies made entry into the home and gave verbal commands to the suspect to comply and cooperate,” Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement.
“During this time, the suspect grabbed for a deputy’s firearm and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”
Rangel was struck once in the upper torso and died at the scene, officials said.
“A knife, believed to belong to the suspect, was recovered at the scene,” Navarro-Suarez said. No deputies were hurt, nor were any of the residents of the home.
Resident Carlos Flores said he did not recognize the intruder, later identified as Rangel.
Rangel was released from county jail in December after serving about six months in jail after being arrested in June of last year on suspicion of fighting with police in West Covina while high on methamphetamine, according to Los Angeles County Superior Court and booking records.
In that incident, officers subdued Rangel with a Taser, West Covina police Lt. Dave Lee said at the time.
Two officers suffered minor injuries in the scuffle, which occurred after officers responded to reports that an intoxicated Rangel was causing a disturbance.
After being hospitalized for a suspected meth overdose, Rangel was ultimately convicted of threatening police in December of 2014 and released from custody on “time served,” according to officials and records. Charges of battery against a peace officer and resisting police were dismissed.
Rangel’s criminal history also includes a conviction for possession of an assault weapon in 2011 and violating a gang injunction in 2012.

Suspect shot by deputies in Valinda

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Brian Day

VALINDA >> Deputies shot a suspect in the unincorporated county area of Valinda early Friday, officials said.
The shooting was reported at 1:24 a.m. at Azusa Avenue and Amar Road, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
A suspect was wounded by gunfire, Sgt. Carmen Arballo of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. The suspect’s condition was unclear.
No deputies were injured in the incident, Arballo said.
No further details were available.

UPDATED: Wounded suspect captured after gunfight with deputies in Industry

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Brian Day

INDUSTRY >> Deputies captured a fleeing suspect after trading gunfire with the man and wounding him in a commercial neighborhood in Industry late Friday, authorities said.
The gunfight took place just before midnight in the 13300 block of Crossroads Parkway North, sheriff’s officials said.
Deputies responded to a report of a man acting strange and yelling at people in the parking lot. Deputy Trina Schrader of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said.
When deputies arrived, they found the 41-year-old man in a car, according to Deputy Ryan Rouzan. He fled from the vehicle on foot with a handgun.
“While searching for the suspect, the suspect fired several times at the deputies, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred,” Rouzan said.
Though deputies did not know it at the time, the suspect was wounded by their gunfire, officials said.
Deputies found the suspect hiding in some foliage leading up to the 60 Freeway, Rouzan said.
After he refused orders to surrender, the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau, or SWAT team, was summoned to take over the situation.
About three hours later, “After several attempts to negotiate his surrender, the suspect was taken into custody by SEB personnel,” Rouzan said.
He was taken to a hospital with gunshot wounds to his “upper torso,” Rouzan said. His identity was not released Saturday and his condition was unavailable.
“The suspect’s weapon was recovered at the scene,” Navarro-Suarez said.
Officials shut down both directions of the 60 Freeway between Crossroads Parkway and Seventh Avenue and evacuated nearby homes during the suspect search.
Authorities reopened the 60 Freeway and lifted evacuations shortly after 3 a.m.

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