Argument with fitness center security officer ends in fatal shooting by LAPD
LOS ANGELES CA October 30 2018 A battery suspect was shot and killed in an LAPD officer-involved shooting Monday morning at a gym in Hollywood, authorities said, adding that an officer was moderately injured in the confrontation.
The initial incident was reported about 8:08 a.m. at a 24 Hour Fitness in the 6300 block of Sunset Boulevard, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department said. Witnesses said the call was prompted by an argument involving security guards and the suspect, who refused to leave a locker room.
Two officers arrived at the scene and were directed to the locker room, where an altercation with a man in his 30s allegedly ensued.
“During the altercation, the suspect took possession of one of the officer’s TASERs,” the LAPD said in a statement. “An officer-involved shooting then occurred, and the suspect was pronounced dead at scene.”
The injured officer was transported to a hospital for treatment. The nature of that injury was not described.
The deceased suspect was not immediately identified.
Early social media reports of an active shooter proved to be unfounded. The LAPD spokesperson later described the scene, near Arclight Hollywood, as “stabilized.”
“Everyone starts running and screaming ‘active shooter,'” witness Brandon Lee said. “I’ve got my headphones on, I’m thinking to myself, ‘Is this really happening? Is there really an active shooter going on?’ This girl runs up, gets in my face, says, ‘Yo, we gotta run downstairs.'”
Police urged the public to avoid the area as an investigation got underway.
