3 LAPD officers shot; suspect dead after standoff, police say
Three Los Angeles police officers were shot Wednesday evening and the suspected gunman was dead after an ensuing standoff, authorities said.
Officers had gone to Lincoln Heights, an older neighborhood of single-family homes, at around 4:30 p.m. and the shootings were reported about two hours later, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Norma Eisenman said.
The officers were hospitalized in stable condition, LAPD Chief Michel Moore tweeted Wednesday night.
Two were patrol officers and the third was a K9 unit officer, Eisenman said.
The LAPD said it began when officers spotted a parolee wanted for an unknown felony and tried to take him into custody, but he ran and hid in a shed.
According to the LAPD, K9 officers responded, found him and launched a "chemical agent" into the shed. The suspect then opened the shed door and began firing at officers, striking three.
Officers returned fire and backed out. It was unclear whether the suspect was hit, CBS Los Angeles reports.
SWAT officers were called and deployed a robot that saw the suspect wasn't moving. SWAT officers then used a second robot to insert more gas into the shed before officers moved in. The Los Angeles Fire Department determined the suspect was dead.
At one point, the LAPD issued a citywide tactical alert, meaning officers from across the city are available to respond to the scene if needed. Officers, including SWAT team members, flooded into the area and sealed it off.
Some neighbors were evacuated from their homes by officers when the standoff was ongoing, CBS L.A. said, while other residents in the surrounding area were advised to stay inside and lock their doors.
"Everyday the men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department put themselves in harm's way, tonight is a reminder that the danger is very real," Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference, CBS L.A. reported. "I'm relieved and grateful that these three brave officers are in stable condition, and are able to have a conversation with two of them when I checked in on them just now. I deeply appreciate their service and let them know that their city stands with them, and I very much look forward to their recovery."
