1 Killed, 1 Hurt In Deputy-Involved Shooting In Compton
COMPTON (CBSLA.com) — A man was killed and another was critically wounded Tuesday night in a deputy-involved shooting in Compton.
The confrontation occurred shortly before 10 p.m. at the intersection of North Poinsettia Avenue and East Palmer Street, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
Authorities said two deputies noticed a vehicle driving recklessly and attempted to conduct a routine traffic stop for a possible DUI.
"The vehicle failed to stop and a brief, slow-speed pursuit ensued. The pursuit ended when the suspect vehicle collided with a parked vehicle," Deputy Quiana Birkbeck said.
After the crash, both deputies got out of their patrol car and attempted to talk to the men when the driver, identified by his mother as Antione Hunter, 24, attempted to ram both men with his vehicle, authorities said.
A deputy also saw Hunter "arm himself with a handgun as the passenger of the suspect vehicle reached for the center console of the vehicle," officials said.
Both deputies fired shots, killing Hunter and critically injuring his passenger, Geremy Evans, 24.
"I heard that my son was shot 10 times. Why would you shoot someone when you could have Tasered him?" said Hunter's mother, Martha Willis.
"I heard at least eight to 10 shots. And they're all, like, accurate shots. It wasn't like a shootout. It was more like they're aiming, and they shot the person," witness Adam Perez said.
Willis said Hunter served time in prison for burglary and was several days away from finishing his parole.
"I'm not going to sit here and say he's some angel, but I've never known my son to carry a gun. Never," Willis said. "Take his little butt to jail if he was doing wrong, why did they have to kill my baby?"
Evans' mother said her son also had a criminal history, but did not deserve to be shot.
"The police raided my house ... looking for weapons for my son, and it's unfair because they can't just do what they want to do in the city of Compton," Eunice Oby said.
No deputies were injured, and a handgun was recovered at the scene.
The shooting was being investigated by homicide detectives and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.
