Officers Involved In Fatal North Hills Shooting Identified
NORTH HILLS (CBSLA.com) — Authorities have identified two officers involved in the fatal North Hills shooting of a knife-wielding man after he did not respond to being zapped with a stun gun.
The shooting happened at about 5:50 p.m. Sunday in a residential area in the 800 block of Norwich Avenue, two blocks north of Parthenia Street, Los Angeles police Lt. Kirk Kelley said.
Efrain Herrera Jr., 24, died at a hospital, coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter said.
Officers Raul Gonzalez and Adrian Cruz went to the location in response to a report of a suspect armed with a 6 ½-inch hunting knife in the middle of the street, Kelley said.
The officers ordered Herrera to stop advancing upon them and drop the knife, but he "ignored the officers' commands and quickened his pace toward Officer Cruz on the passenger side of the patrol car," according to a police statement.
Gonzalez, who was on the driver's side of the cruiser, fired his Taser at Herrera while Cruz "simultaneously fired one round from his handgun," police said.
Police say Herrera fell to the ground and let go of the knife, and Gonzalez fired the Taser at him again, while ordering him to get down on the ground. Herrera, however, apparently unaffected by the Taser, grabbed the knife and began standing up, police officials said.
The officers again shouted for Herrera to get down on the ground and Gonzalez again tried to zap him with the stun gun, but Herrera continued to get up, while "holding the knife toward Officer Cruz," police said.
"Officer Gonzalez then drew his handgun and fired at the suspect who then fell to the ground and was taken into custody," police said.
Paramedics treated Herrera at the scene and then took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the LAPD.
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