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PICO RIVERA -- A deputy-involved shooting resulted in no injuries, however a gang member was jailed on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer, authorities said.
Angel Viera and Christina Chacon, both 37 and from Chino, were arrested in connection with the 4:30 a.m. incident in the 4100 block of Maris Avenue, Sgt. Mark Bailey, a gang investigator with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
Viera was booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer, and Chacon was suspected of obstructing or resisting police, the sergeant said, adding that he's a known Pico Viejo gang member.
A deputy approached Viera and Chacon as they sat in a parked car, Bailey said. Viera got out of the car.
"He had a gun in his hand," he said. "He pointed in in the direction of the deputy,"
Fearing for his life, Bailey said, the deputy fired several rounds at Viera, who was not struck.
Viera then fled into a nearby backyard before ultimately surrendering minutes later, officials said.
Chacon did not flee and was arrested at the car, Bailey said.
Officials used a dog to search for the suspect's handgun, but none was found, officials said.
According to county booking records, Viera was being held in lieu of $1.15 million and was due for arraignment Wednesday in Whittier Superior Court.
Court information for Chacon was not available late Saturday.
From Los Angeles Police Protective League Blog:
The names of officers involved in shootings are public information subject to disclosure by law, a California appellate court ruled Tuesday, marking the latest legal opinion in a public records court battle that has embroiled law enforcement and the media.
The 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected arguments from the city of Long Beach and its police union that officers' names were protected as investigative and personnel records and because of officers' privacy rights.
The decision upheld a Superior Court judge'sorder that the city would have to release the names in response to a public records request from The Times.
SANTA MARIA -- A police officer under investigation for sexual misconduct with a minor was shot and killed by fellow officers Saturday as they tried to arrest him on California's central coast, authorities said.
The officer was on duty at a DUI checkpoint shortly after 1 a.m. when he was shot, Santa Maria police Chief Danny Macagni said in a statement.
The officer, a four-year department veteran, had just learned of the internal investigation of an alleged sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, and it became necessary to arrest him immediately, Macagni said.
Officers were sent to arrest him but he resisted them when they arrived, first putting up a physical fight, then pulling and firing his gun but hitting no one, Macagni said.
Several officers came to help the police making the arrest, and one of them shot the suspected officer in the chest once, Macagni said.
"He chose to resist, to remove his weapon," Macagni said at a news conference, according to the Santa Maria Times. "We're saddened by the whole incident."
The wounded officer was taken to Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, where he was declared dead, the chief said.
Macagni said police had expressed condolences to the officer's family.
The officer who filed the fatal shot, a department veteran of about eight years, has been placed on administrative leave, and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department was investigating the shooting, Macagni said. Both moves are customary in shootings involving police.
The name of the officer killed has not been released because some family members were still being notified, and the name of the officer who fired the shot was withheld while the incident was under investigation, police said.
- From the Associated Press
Long Beach and a police officers group ask justices to overturn a Superior Court ruling that the city must provide the names of officers involved in shootings.
MONTEREY PARK -- The investigation continues into the fatal police shooting of a 22-year-old Chino Hills man who threatened an officer with a large pipe bender outside a fast-food restaurant.
Steve Rodriguez was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after he was shot by two officers about 9:30 a.m. Monday outside a Carl's Jr. restaurant along Avenida Cesar Chavez. The incident was captured on a cell phone camera by a witness who then posted the video online.
Though the video of the shooting has gone viral on the Internet, Monterey Park police and Los Angeles County Sheriff's officials continued to withhold the names of the involved officers Thursday. The two involved officers were described as 12-year and 3-year veterans of the Monterey Park Police Department.
"We're not, at this point, releasing those names," Monterey Park Police Chief Jim Smith said.
Officials added that the names would likely be disclosed in the over the next few days.
The Sheriff's Homicide Bureau is spearheading the investigation into the shooting.
"Everything right now is new," Smith said. "It's under investigation by the sheriff's (department) and DA's office, which is the normal protocol with us. We'll continue to follow the investigation. And its a tough thing for the officers, for the family, for the witnesses... for everyone involved."
Also withheld by authorities Thursday was the coroner's report in the case.
An autopsy had been carried out on Rodriguez's body Thursday, however sheriff's investigators had placed a security hold on the findings, barring coroner's officials from releasing information on the case, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Assistant Chief of Operations Ed Winter said.
Because of the security hold, information such as how many times Rodriguez was shot or where the two electrified Taser probed ultimately landed were not available.
Chief Smith declined to comment on the shooting itself.
"It would be inappropriate for me to comment on it at this time," he said. "I need to let the investigators to do their job."
Family members of Rodriguez, as well as the sheriff's detective handling the case, could not be reached for comment Thursday.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave and offered psychological counseling, as is the policy for any officer involved in a shooting, Monterey Park police Capt. Eugene Harris said. They remained on leave Thursday.
"We expect them back to work if not next week, the following week," he added. The amount of time an officer takes for leave after being involved in a shooting varies on a case-by-case basis, but is generally at least three days.
While the digital age has changed law enforcement a great deal in recent years and decades, Harris said the fact that many citizens are now carrying with them cell phones capable of doubling as video cameras makes no difference.
In fact, Harris said, the Monterey Park Police Department has gone "above and beyond" when it comes to using technology to ensure transparency in police work.
Every patrol car is equipped with a video camera, and all officers carry audio recorders, he said.
"Any citizen contact is recorded," Harris said.
The presence of a civilian camera does not alter police behavior, he added.
"We teach people to perform as if you're always being watched, taped or video recorded," he said.
Officers encountered Rodriguez after responding to reports that he was using the heavy tool to smash windows at the restaurant, officials said.
In the video, an officer fires five gunshots at Rodriguez as he advances on the other officer while raising the tool over his head as if preparing to deliver a blow.
Rodriguez stumbles and turns his back to the officers, obscuring the camera's view of him behind a parked car, before second group of five shots is heard.
The man who shot the video, who asked that his name be withheld due to privacy concerns, said he had mixed feelings about what he witnessed.
"I believe it was the correct response to take action and fire those first shots," he said. "But while his back was turned to the officer, he paused and made another five shots. That was uncalled for."
"In my opinion, somebody got shot and that was justified," the witness added. "But somebody dying, that was not justified."
"I'm not a cop, I don't know what they go through. I'm sure it's completely different mentally going through that. But as a police officer, to me, there job is to set an example and be, honestly, perfect in everything they do. They're seen as the higher authority."
Rocky Warren, a retired longtime Placer County Sheriff's Deputy, consultant, instructor, author and sought-after expert witness in court cases involving police uses of force, reviewed the video and offered his thoughts.
"One of the worst failures of law enforcement is not educating the public about use of force," Warren said.
Warren himself is no stranger to officer-involved shootings. In 1982, he became one of only four police officers in the nation to shoot a gun from a suspect's hand on orders in the City of Lincoln.
Warren pointed out that the quality and angle of the video left many factors unknown.
He said, however, that after studying the amateur video of the shooting, "I don't see anything that causes me to believe it's unreasonable," Warren said.
To determine whether a police shooting is justified or not, he said, "The legal standard is: given the facts and circumstances known to the officer at the time, was the use of force reasonable? If the answer is yes, then the shooting was justified."
Public response to officer-involved shootings is often colored by the "Hollywood Effect," Warren said.
"People think that people are shot and fall down," he said. In reality, suspects often are not pacified until shot multiple times.
"People don't understand the threat level," Warren added.
An average citizen may see a person armed with a weapon such as a knife or club standing about 8 feet away from someone and not perceive an imminent threat of serious injury or death, Warren said.
"With my training, I realize your possibility of being killed is good," he said.
Police are trained to understand how fast people can cover ground compared with an officer's reaction time, he explained.
It appeared from the poor quality video that the first five shots were fired by an officer in defense of his partner, who was being threatened by Rodriguez, Warren said.
Because of the limited view of the camera and the fact that Rodriguez went behind a parked car after the first volley of gunfire, "You can't know why that second volley was fired."
Warren said officers are trained to meet deadly force with deadly force. In the past, for instance, officers have died trying to disarm an opponent with their batons rather than shooting them, he added.
"We've literally had many officers killed when they used non-lethal force in a lethal force situation."
MONTEREY PARK -- The fatal police shooting of a man who lunged at a police officer with a metal bar Monday was caught on amateur video.
Steve Rodriguez, 22, was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after the shooting, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Chief of Operations Craig Harvey said. His city of residency was not known Tuesday.
The shooting took place about 9:30 a.m. Monday in the parking lot of a Carl's Jr. restaurant in the 1200 block of Avenida Cesar Chavez, where Rodriguez was reportedly smashing out windows with a three-foot-long metal bar.
Monterey Park police officers responded to reports about the man's window-smashing, sheriff's officials said.
The video shows Rodriguez exit the eatery with a metal bar, when he was immediately confronted by two police officers, who who were not identified Tuesday. One of the officers held a Taser, the other pointed a pistol in his right hand and held a police dog's leash in the other.
The officer with the Taser is seen apparently firing the device<NO1><NO>. At least one of the Taser darts appeared to have hit Rodriguez in the face, the video shows. He swatted at the dart, but it did not slow him down and only appeared to agitate <NO1><NO>him, the video shows.
Rodriguez then turned toward the officer who fired the Taser and began approaching him while grasping the metal bar in a baseball bat grip, the video shows.
The officer who shot at Rodriguez with the Taser appeared to be struggling to remove his pistol from its holster as the second officer opened fire, the video shows.
After a volley of five shots in rapid succession, Rodriguez stumbled back, dropped the metal bar and turned his back to the officers, though he remained on his feet. The officer then fired a second volley of five shots, causing Rodriguez to fall to the ground.
The camera's view of Rodriguez is obscured during the second round of gunfire by a parked car.
The man who shot the cell phone video, who asked that his name be withheld due to privacy concerns, said he was planning on removing the video from the Internet once he learned the man who was shot had died, but changed his mind after seeing "a falsified report," in the news.
He said he read a news story in which, "a female officer described that the suspect swung (the metal bar) twice."
The cameraman said his footage, as well as his memory, told a different story. While Rodriguez took an aggressive stance toward an officer and drew back as though he was about to strike him, he said, there was no swing.
While the amateur video is an important piece of evidence, Lt. Eddie Hernandez of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said there is a great deal of additional evidence to be considered.
"Keep in mind, the video that was posted on YouTube, it's a very narrow prism," the lieutenant said. "The investigation is in its infancy right now."
Investigators will also review videos of the incident that have not been released to the public, Hernandez said, including security camera footage from inside the restaurant, footage from neighboring businesses and footage from cameras mounted in Monterey Park police patrol cars.
Detectives were also continuing Tuesday to interview about 25 witnesses, Hernandez said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is assisting in the investigation, as is common in officer-involved shootings involving Los Angeles County police agencies.
Hernandez did not know the status of the officers involved in the shooting. Monterey Park police declined to comment on the identity or status of the officers.
Hernandez described the metal bar Rodriguez had been clutching as a "pipe bender" -- a tool used by electricians to bend electrical conduits.
Investigators continued piecing together the events that led up to the shooting, Hernandez said.
Witnesses reported the suspect was not yelling or speaking to anyone as he smashed the windows inside the restaurant, and his motive in the alleged vandalism was unknown.
"In the beginning, he was very nonchalantly breaking windows," said the amateur cameraman.
Once police arrived and confronted Rodriguez, "They were telling him to put his hands up," he said. "He brushed them off as they were shouting orders at him. He got Tasered in the face. He didn't even react to it."
The cameraman added that even after the shooting, he didn't immediately realize what had taken place. Until getting home and seeing news coverage of the incident, "I was really convinced that they were rubber pellets that were shot at him," he said.
The officers involved did not recognize Rodriguez from any previous encounters, Hernandez added.
The only Los Angeles County Superior Court case listed in a county database against a person by Rodriguez's name and birthdate was a drunken driving case filed Dec. 28 in Alhambra Superior Court. The case stemmed from an Oct. 30 arrest in Alhambra. Further details on the case were not available.
No drugs were found on Rodriguez's person, Hernandez said. An autopsy will determined whether any substances were in his system at the time of the incident.
Once sheriff's officials, police, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials and the County of Los Angeles Office of Independent Review have completed their investigations, the information will be turned over to the district attorney's office for review.
ROSEMEAD -- A 40-year-old Rosemead woman fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy while allegedly attacking him with a hammer had a long history of mental illness, officials said Thursday.
Jazmyne Ha Eng died at the scene of Tuesday's 3:40 p.m. deputy-involved shooting at the Asian Pacific Family Center, 9353 Valley Blvd., Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Chief of Operations Craig Harvey said. Sheriff's officials said she was a Rosemead resident.
Lt. Dave Dolson of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said Eng was known to the facility staff prior to Wednesday's incident.
"She had been a patient there suffering from a few maladies relating to mental illness," the lieutenant said. "She'd been dealing with her mental health for many years." He declined to give more details on her conditions.
Three deputies from the sheriff's Temple Station responded to a report that a possibly mentally ill woman was sitting in the lobby of the clinic with a hammer in her lap and "acting sort of erratic," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Tom McNeal said.
Officials said the woman was a patient at the center, which treats issues such as mental health and substance abuse.
According to DMV records, she stood 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighed about 95 pounds.
"When deputies entered the lobby of the location, they encountered (Eng), wielding a hammer above her head, screaming," Deputy Peter Gomez said in a written statement.
Dolson described the weapon as a "full-sized ball peen hammer."
The deputies tried to talk to the woman but she did not respond to their commands, the deputy said. A deputy tried to shock the woman with a Taser, however it was not effective.
"She then advanced towards to deputies, with hammer over head," Gomez said. "Fearing for his safety, a deputy fired two rounds from his duty weapon, striking her."
The hammer was recovered from the scene, officials said.
No one answered the phone Thursday at a number listed in public records as belonging to Eng.
Representatives from the Asian Pacific Family Center could not be reached for comment.
Sheriff's records indicate no previous major incidents at the facility in the past year.
Deputies responded to six calls at the Asian Pacific Family Center in 2011, officials said. They included an out-of-control child, a schizophrenic man who was talking to himself, a burglary alarm, a man passed out in a car, a stolen license plate and suspicious person who was ultimately determined to be a woman whose car had broken down, officials said.
Detectives were continuing their investigation and gathering information on Eng's history, Dolson said.
Sheriff's deputies were called to her Rosemead home about two weeks prior to the shooting when someone reported a possibly mentally ill woman, Dolson said. Deputies spoke with the involved parties and the situation was resolved without further incident.
Sheriff's officials declined to release the deputies names or say whether they were put on leave following the incident.
Like all Los Angeles County deputy-involved shootings, the incident is being investigated by the sheriff's department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the County of Los Angeles Office of Independent Review.
Based on a preliminary review of the basic facts released to the public thus far in the case, use of force expert Rocky Warren of Warren consulting said that while unfortunate, "It sounds like the officer did what had to be done."
Warren teaches police tactics to instructors throughout the country and often testified as an expert witness in police use of force cases.
"There are a lot of factors that go into this," he said, such as the distance between the suspects and deputies and the physical surroundings in which the encounter occurred.
The diminutive size of the suspect, "really doesn't make as much of a difference as people think it does," Warren said. "What's important is how fast can a person travel in three-quarters of a second to a second. That's reaction time."
An average person can cover 12 to 15 feet of ground in three-quarters of a second, he said, the same amount of time required for an officer to decide whether to fire a weapon. The issue is referred to as the "reaction time dilemma."
Warren said he would never train an officer to engage any suspect armed with a weapon capable of deadly force in hand-to-hand combat. "That would be 100 percent foolish," he said.
Wednesday's incident was the second shooting involving deputies from the sheriff's Temple Station this week.
A deputy shot at a man, though it was unclear if he was struck, as the deputy tried to arrest the man on suspicion of drug possession, officials said.
The deputy stopped the man as he rode a bicycle about 4:30 p.m. in the 10600 block of Lower Azusa Road, sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
A fight ensued and the deputy pepper sprayed the man, though he continued to struggle with the deputy, Lt. Tom McNeal said.
When the suspect reached into his waistband, the deputy feared for his safety and opened fire, McNeal said.
The suspect ran off and remained at large, officials said. It was not clear if he was wounded.
PHOTO of Jazmyne Eng courtesy of the California DMV
ROSEMEAD -- Authorities Wednesday released the name of a 40-year-old woman shot to death by a sheriff's deputy as she allegedly attacked him with a hammer at a social services office.
Jazmyne Ha Eng died at the scene of Tuesday's 3:40 p.m. deputy-involved shooting at the Asian Pacific Family Center, 9353 Valley Blvd., Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Chief of Operations Craig Harvey said. Sheriff's officials said she was a Rosemead resident.
Lt. Dave Dolson of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said Eng was known to the facility staff prior to Wednesday's incident.
"She had been a patient there suffering from a few maladies relating to mental illness," the lieutenant said. He declined to give more details on her conditions.
Three deputies from the sheriff's Temple Station responded to a report that a possibly mentally ill woman was sitting in the lobby of the clinic with a hammer in her lap and "acting sort of erratic," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Tom McNeal said.
Officials said the woman was a patient at the center, which treats issues such as mental health and substance abuse.
"When deputies entered the lobby of the location, they encountered (Eng), wielding a hammer above her head, screaming," Deputy Peter Gomez said in a written statement.
Dolson described the weapon as a "full-sized ball peen hammer."
The deputies tried to talk to the woman but she did not respond to their commands, the deputy said. A deputy tried to shock the woman with a Taser, however it was not effective.
"She then advanced towards to deputies, with hammer over head," Gomez said. "Fearing for his safety, a deputy fired two rounds from his duty weapon, striking her."
The hammer was recovered from the scene, officials said.
Representatives from the Asian Pacific Family Center could not be reached for comment.
Detectives were continuing their investigation and gathering information on Eng's history, Dolson said.
"It's my understanding that there was a call to her residence the day before," Dolson said. Further details were not available early Thursday.
The deputies involved in the shooting were not identified Thursday.
Like all Los Angeles County deputy-involved shootings, the incident is being investigated by the sheriff's department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the County of Los Angeles Office of Independent Review.
Wednesday's incident was the second shooting involving deputies from the sheriff's Temple Station this week.
A deputy shot at a man, though it was unclear if he was struck, as the deputy tried to arrest the man on suspicion of drug possession, officials said.
The deputy stopped the man as he rode a bicycle about 4:30 p.m. in the 10600 block of Lower Azusa Road, sheriff's officials said in a written statement.
A fight ensued and the deputy pepper sprayed the man, though he continued to struggle with the deputy, Lt. Tom McNeal said.
When the suspect reached into his waistband, the deputy feared for his safety and opened fire, McNeal said.
The suspect ran off and remained at large, officials said. It was not clear if he was wounded.
ROSEMEAD -- Deputies shot and killed a woman who attacked them with a hammer at an office on Valley Blvd., authorities said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's officials initially described the woman as being in her 40s.
The shooting took place about 3:40 p.m. at the Asian Pacific Family Center, 9353 Valley Blvd., Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Tom McNeal said.
Deputies responded to a report of an apparently mentally disturbed woman "sitting in the lobby with a hammer in lap," the lieutenant said.
Three deputies arrived and tried to detain the women, but she attacked them with the hammer, he said.
A deputy tried to shock the woman with a Taser but it failed to stop her, McNeal said.
The woman continued her attack on the deputies, and one of the shot her fatally.
The building was evacuated during the investigation.
TEMPLE CITY -- A deputy fired his gun at a suspect Monday as they fought during an attempted arrest, officials said.
It was unclear if the suspect, who remained at large, was wounded, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said in a written statement. The deputy was treated for minor injuries suffered in the confrontation.
The incident began when a patrol deputy stopped a bicyclist about 4:30 p.m. in the 10600 block of Lower Azusa Road, in a mixed commercial and residential neighborhood near the El Monte border.
"The deputy began to affect an arrest of the bicyclist (suspect) for a narcotics charge," according to the sheriff's statement. "The deputy and the suspect became involved in a physical struggle, during which a deputy-involved shooting occurred."
The suspect ran off and the search for him continued Tuesday, officials said. It was not known if he had been shot.
Officials described the suspect as a Latino man of about 35 years old, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and 135 pounds.
As is common practice when a sheriff's deputy is involved in an on-duty shooting, the incident is being investigated by the sheriff's homicide and internal affairs bureaus, as well as the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the County of Los Angeles Office of Independent Review.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's Temple Station at 626-285-7171. Tips can also be left anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
INDUSTRY -- A deputy shot and wounded a man who fled from a traffic stop while holding a replica handgun early Friday in a deputy-involved shooting, authorities said.
The shooting took place about 3:30 a.m. at Valley Boulevard and 7th Avenue, Deputy Benjamin Grubb of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said in a written statement.
The suspect was struck by gunfire and hospitalized in stable condition, Sgt. Diane Hecht said. No deputies were hurt.
A deputy pulled over a car on Valley Boulevard at 7th Avenue when the front passenger exited the car and ran, Hecht said.
"A deputy gave chase and saw the suspect was armed with a semi-automatic handgun," she said. "Fearing for his life, the deputy fired his duty weapon at the suspect, wounding him."
The wounded 29-year-old man was then taken to an area hospital, while the driver was arrested due to an existing warrant, officials said.
A replica handgun was recovered at the scene, Hecht added.
Sheriff's officials did not release the name of either suspect.
As is standard procedure in deputy-involved shooting in Los Angeles County, simultaneous investigations have been launched by the sheriff's department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the county Office of Independent Review.
The shooting took place about 3:30 a.m. at Valley Boulevard and 7th Avenue, Deputy Benjamin Grubb of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said in a written statement.
The suspect was struck by gunfire and hospitalized in stable condition, Sgt. Diane Hecht said. No deputies were hurt.
A deputy pulled over a car on Valley Boulevard at 7th Avenue when the front passenger exited the car and ran, Hecht said.
"A deputy gave chase and saw the suspect was armed with a semi-automatic handgun," she said. "Fearing for his life, the deputy fired his duty weapon at the suspect, wounding him."
The wounded 29-year-old man was then taken to an area hospital, while the driver was arrested due to an existing warrant, officials said.
A replica handgun was recovered at the scene, Hecht added.
Sheriff's officials did not release the name of either suspect.
As is standard procedure in deputy-involved shooting in Los Angeles County, simultaneous investigations have been launched by the sheriff's department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the county Office of Independent Review.
INDUSTRY -- A man was wounded early Friday in a deputy-involved shooting, authorities said.
The shooting took place about 3:30 a.m. at Valley Boulevard and 7th Avenue, Deputy Benjamin Grubb of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said in a written statement.
The suspect was struck by gunfire and hospitalized in unknown condition, officials said. No deputies were hurt.
No further details of the circumstances of the shooting were available.
As is standard procedure in deputy-involved shooting in Los Angeles County, simultaneous investigations have been launched by the sheriff's department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the county Office of Independent Review.
HOLLYWOOD -- A 26-year-old former Azusa resident who opened fire on cars randomly at a busy Hollywood intersection Friday before being fatally shot by police has been identified, officials said.Tyler Brehm died at the scene of the bizarre incident, which unfolded shortly after 10 a.m. at Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said. A city of residency was not listed.
Azusa police described him as a former resident of an Arrow Highway apartment complex in that city. He moved out several months ago, but it was not clear Saturday how long he had lived there.
A 40-year-old man who was struck by one of Brehm's bullets during the rampage was hospitalized with serious injuries but expected to survive, officials said.
Clad in a sleeveless undershirt, Brehm showed up at the intersection and began firing indiscriminately at passing vehicles, officials said.
In an amateur video shot during the incident, the gunman is seen firing his handgun into the passenger compartment of a passing pickup truck at close range.
A motive in the shooting was unknown, however Brehm was heard screaming "kill me" and "I'm gonna die" during the rampage.
While Los Angeles police have not revealed any motive in the shooting, a Facebook page established for Tyler Brehm may provide some insight.
Brehm's relationship status on a Facebook profile was changed Tuesday from "in relationship" to "single," the same day Brehm's hometown was changed to Hollywood.
No mentions of the shooting or Brehm's death appeared Saturday afternoon on the online profile.
Several items on his Facebook page had changed between Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon.
His "interests" were listed Saturday morning as "knowledge," "conversation," "friendship," "family," and "military intelligence." By the afternoon, the "military intelligence" entry had been removed, and replaced with "dog."
The "movies" preferences section of the profile had also been taken down Saturday. It previously read, "Anything with a bad ass... Money... And a lot of guns."
In an interview with KTLA 5, Brehm's ex-girlfriend, 24-year-old Alicia Alligood, said she dated Brehm for four years before they broke up earlier this month. They had met when both lived in Pennsylvania.
She said lately, Brehm had seen "really stressed out," and possibly had recently started taking some kind of pills, which was out of character for him.
She described him to the TV station as being a "humanitarian" in the past who was involved in nonprofit work.
He sent a text message to her only minutes before the shooting telling her he loved her, she said.
PHOTO of Tyler Brehm taken from Facebook
HOLLYWOOD -- A 26-year-old former Azusa resident who opened fire on cars randomly at a busy Hollywood intersection Friday before being fatally shot by police has been identified, officials said.
Tyler Brehm died at the scene of the bizarre incident, whichj unfolded shortly after 10 a.m. at Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz said. His current city of residency was not clear.
Azusa police described him as a former resident of an Arrow Highway apartment complex in that city. He moved out several months ago, but it was not clear Saturday how long he had lived there.
A 40-year-old man who was struck by one of Brehm's bullets during the rampage was hospitalized with serious injuries but expected to survive, officials said.
A motive in the shooting was unknown, however Brehm was heard screaming "kill me" and "I'm gonna die" during the rampage.
CONTRIBUTORS
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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