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LAUSD Officer To Be Fired Over Alleged Shooting Hoax

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — The Los Angeles police chief has apologized to residents for the inconvenience caused by a massive dragnet set up to catch a gunman who investigators now say did not exist.

Police Chief Charlie Beck said Friday that he was sorry for the delays people endured as police searched cars and homes for the supposed gunman after school police Officer Jeffrey Stenroos said he had been shot.


KNX 1070 reports: School Officer Arrested For Alleged Hoax Being Reassigned To Home

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Law enforcement officials now say Stenroos lied about the shooting and he has been booked for filing a false police report.

It is unclear exactly what happened in the incident outside a San Fernando Valley high school Jan. 19.

Stenroos appeared to have been shot in his bulletproof vest and authorities said that protection saved his life. But on Thursday, police said they did not believe his story.

KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports that Beck was furious when robbery homicide detectives came to him with information that Stenroos' story was false.

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(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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