Man, 18, Wounded In Norwalk Deputy-Involved Shooting

NORWALK (CBSLA.com) — Authorities in Norwalk say an 18-year-old man was shot and wounded Saturday by sheriff's deputies.

The incident occurred in the 11900 block of 162nd Street in Norwalk about 2:48 p.m. in Hermosillo Park.

Reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, Rachel Kim said the shooting occurred just moments before the Arturo Sanchez Sr. Halloween Parade for kids ended.

Resident Richard Chavez told Kim, "The parade means a lot to these kids here and they look forward to it every Halloween."

In a written statement, officials said "deputies observed several gang members congregating in the area. When the deputies approached them in their patrol vehicle they ran away."

Kim spoke to Lt. Dave Coleman of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. Homicide Bureau. He said, "As deputies followed the suspect in their vehicle, he stopped, turned, and produced a handgun pointing it at the deputies, at which point, a deputy-involved shooting occurred."

The statement said, "In fear of their lives, both deputies fired their weapons at the suspect, striking him in the upper torso."

Coleman told Km the suspect was also shot in the arm.

The suspect was transported to a nearby hospital. He is recovering from non-life threatening injuries.

A 9-year-old boy named Gabriel was a witness to the shooting. "I was in the parade and I was waiting for my friends because we were going to play baseball right there where [the suspect] was laying." He added, "I got scared after I heard the gunshots. I just ducked down and got on the floor."

A loaded semi-automatic was recovered at the scene.

No deputies were injured in the incident.