Emotions Run High After Deputies Fatally Shoot 16-Year-Old Boy

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A 16-year-old boy was shot to death in the Westmont area of Los Angeles, one of two deputy-involved shootings in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's patrol area in just four hours.

Officials say Anthony Weber, of Los Angeles, was killed at about 8:20 p.m. Sunday in the 1200 block of West 107th Street, an area on the edge of South Los Angeles, prompting an angry, distraught crowd to form at the scene of the shooting.

A woman was heard screaming that her son was dead, and a man was detained for yelling and facing off with deputies. An angry crowd gathered on one side of crime scene tape, many holding cell phones and cameras to record their interactions with deputies, several of whom stood just on the other side of the tape.

Authorities say deputies were called to the area because a young man was reported pointing a handgun at a motorist. Arriving deputies said the boy had a handgun tucked into his waistband before he ran, prompting the deputies to chase after him.

According to sheriff's spokeswoman Deputy Wally Bracks, when the boy turned toward the deputies, they fired at him.

"The subject was struck several times in the upper body by gunfire and collapsed at the location," she said. He was pronounced dead at the scene and no gun has been found yet.

"Deputies saw a gun when the shooting occurred. Then with the 30 to 40 people that came out of the apartment complex. They were trying to maintain security of that and they believe that at some point somebody may have reached in and may have taken the gun," said LA County Sheriff's Department Capt. Chris Bergner.

At least one neighbor disputed the account that the boy fired at deputies. She said she heard so many shots in quick succession that it rattled her door.

"Weren't nobody shooting back and forth," neighbor Regina Banks said. "They was just shooting."

The family of the boy said they were also angry because Anthony's body had been left uncovered on the street for hours.

Friends confirmed that Anthony was a gang member, but he was reportedly outside Sunday night with his girlfriend.

Just a few hours later at 12:08 a.m. Monday, a second deputy-involved shooting was reported at Horst Avenue and Artesia Boulevard in Artesia. Authorities say a deputy was patrolling the area when the suspect, a 21-year-old known gang member, saw her and started running away, while throwing away a glass pipe.

When the deputy tried to stop the suspect, he put his hand inside the waistline of his pants and moved toward her as he yelled profanities, sheriff's officials said. Fearing he was armed, the deputy fired one round at hit him in the lower torso area, authorities said.

The suspect, who was found to be in possession of a knife and small amount of methamphetamine, was seen being wheeled away on a gurney and taken away in an ambulance. He was listed in stable condition, sheriff's officials said.

No deputies were injured in either incident.

Investigations are underway into both shootings.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)