Man arrested after police shooting in Hollywood; no one struck by gunfire

Police opened fire on a man who they thought was armed in Hollywood earlier this week, and though no one was struck by any gunfire the man was taken into custody. 

It happened on Thursday evening at around 5:10 p.m., when officers were dispatched to the 1100 block of Cole Avenue after learning of an allegedly armed man in the area, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department. 

They arrived and found the man, who was walking along the sidewalk at the intersection of Cole Avenue and Lexington Avenue, adjacent to the Hollywood Pool, police said. 

The suspect, since identified as Darrel Morgan, appeared to have "an article in his waistband," according to officers. 

Upon making contact wth Morgan, the officers began to give him verbal commands, which he allegedly ignored as he ran from the area on foot. They found him a short time later with the help of an LAPD helicopter near Vine Street and La Mirada Avenue, the police statement said. 

When they again attempted to make contact, police say that Morgan crossed the street while holding what they said was an object that resembled a small handgun. 

"Morgan appeared to point the object at responding officers, resulting in an officer involved shooting," LAPD's statement said. "Morgan was not struck by gunfire and fled north on Vine Street."

He was arrested in the 1300 block of N. Vine Street after running about a block, police said. 

" A small gold and dark metallic colored lighter, in the design of a Luger Pistol, was located at the 1300 Block of North Vine Street and was collected as evidence," the statement said.

No further information was provided.