Suspect on Street Points Gun at Officers during Foot Pursuit Officer-Involved Shooting Occurs

Los Angeles: A male suspect threatened police officers with a gun, resulting in an officer-involved shooting.

Shortly after 1:40 p.m. on Dec. 30, 2011, LAPD Rampart Area Police Officer III Able Munoz (17 years, five months with the Department) and Police Officer III Jason Abner (11 years, two months with the Department) were driving by in the area of 2nd Street and Union Place when they saw a suspect, who they believed to be a possible gang member. The officers attempted to stop the suspect when he ran from the officers.  The officers gave chase when the suspect suddenly stopped and pulled a handgun from his waistband.  At this point an officer involved shooting occurred.  The suspect was struck once in the upper torso and taken into custody.

Officers immediately requested medical assistance. LAFD personnel and transported the suspect to a local area hospital where he was listed in stable condition.  

A semi-automatic handgun was recovered at the scene and no officers were injured during the incident.

The LAPD Force Investigation Division responded to the incident and will conduct a thorough investigation of the officer-involved shooting and all related crimes.  The investigation will ultimately be reviewed by the Office of the Chief of Police, the Office of the Inspector General and Board of Police Commissioners for compliance with the Department’s use-of-force policy, which states that an officer’s use-of-force actions must be objectively reasonable.  

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to call the FID at 213-486-5230. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.

Comments

[Josey Whales]

Glad these Officers are ok! We have some excellent police officers on this job, to bad 99% of the Captains are weak-kneed! And I mean WEAK!

[BWop]

When you have lieutenants being ordered (more like pressured) into taking the Captain's exam due to not enough candidates, you get mediocre, inexperienced, and unqualified people promoting to Captain. Some of these people haven't worked patrol in many years of their short careers at LAPD. And now they are running patrol divisions.

Not exactly promotions on merit and achievement, is it?

[SLO Police Officer]

100% spot on, Whales! We have the WEAKEST Captains the Department has had in over 20 years! And that's a FACT!!!!! I don't know if the department can survive these pathetic leaders. And they lead like wet noodles. It's just plain embarrassing! Seeing these Captains avoid their duties makes me ashamed to be an LAPD officer.

[SLO Police Officer]

B&Wop.... you took the words right out of my mouth! I was about to come on here and opine about that very fact tonight. The WEAKEST crop of Lieutenants this department has EVER seen. We will not survive the future with out MASSIVE litigation with the status quo at LAPD! 99% of these people from LT and up are lost, and could really care less about the people of this city. And it's a shame. But I guess this is the legacy Chief Beck is OK with?! 20 and out, that's what I say!

[Anonymous]

I think that a Captain must have requisite minimum of 10 years Patrol experience as an officer prior to even being considered for this position. How can one judge a patrol officer from the perspective an insider or climber? Officers deal with pain that only great leader who's been in there shoes would understand.