Man killed in deputy-involved shooting near Los Angeles, authorities say

The shooting occurred in Gardena, about 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles.

A man who authorities say was armed with a gun was shot to death by sheriff’s deputies near Los Angeles on Thursday evening.

The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. in the city of Gardena, California, about 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were patrolling the area when they came across a man on the street who allegedly pulled out a handgun when he saw them and then fled southbound between two businesses.

“A short foot pursuit ensued and at the conclusion, the deputies contacted the suspect and a deputy-involved shooting occurred,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement Friday.

The unnamed suspect, described as a Hispanic man between 18 to 20 years-old, was struck by gunfire in the upper torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No deputies were injured in the incident, and a handgun was recovered from the scene.

The deputy-involved shooting is under investigation.

“Whenever a deputy-involved shooting occurs involving Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies, and a person is struck by gunfire, multiple independent investigations immediately begin at the scene,” the sheriff’s department said in the statement. “These include separate investigations by the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau and Internal Affairs Bureau. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department immediately notifies the Office of the Inspector General, who sends a representative to the incident scene and provides independent oversight throughout the investigative process.”

“Once concluded, a preliminary review is conducted by the Critical Incident Review Panel to determine whether any immediate actions are warranted,” the statement continued. “Every aspect of the shooting is reviewed by the Sheriff’s Executive Force Review Committee. Input from Constitutional Policing Advisors is provided during the process. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Justice System Integrity Division, conducts a legal analysis to determine whether any criminal charges will be filed and if the shooting was legally justified.”

Witnesses told Los Angeles ABC station KABC that the man killed was a security guard and that was the reason he was armed. The deputy-involved shooting sparked a tense confrontation between local residents and deputies in Gardena. One resident was seen holding a child in his arms during the altercation.

Lt. Charles Calderaro of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told KABC that the suspect was not wearing a security guard uniform at the time of the incident and authorities did not have information regarding his occupation.