LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Police Department’s Force Investigation Division is investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) in West Los Angeles Division.
The LAPD reported on July 7, around 5 p.m., West Los Angeles officers responded to a call reporting a man armed with a knife in the area of Pico Boulevard and Sawtelle Boulevard. The first police unit at the scene was a uniformed sergeant. The sergeant was directed to the man by a community member and exited his police vehicle and began giving directions to the man, later identified as Felipe Guerrero, 36.
Guerrero, armed with a knife, continued to walk in the direction of the sergeant. As the sergeant continued to give commands to Guerrero, still armed with the knife, ran toward the sergeant resulting in an OIS. He was struck by the sergeant’s gunfire and fell to the ground. Guerrero was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced deceased. The knife Guerrero was armed with was recovered at the scene.
The sergeant was transported to a local hospital for an injury he received from falling during the incident.
LAPD’s specialized Force Investigation Division responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses and supervised the collection of evidence by the Forensic Science Division.
The complete investigation will be reviewed by the Chief of Police, the Board of Police Commissioners and the Office of the Inspector General to determine the thoroughness and accuracy of the investigation and whether the use of deadly force complied with LAPD’s policies and procedures. Additionally, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who responded to the scene will review the subsequent FID investigation, evidence collected, and witness statements to determine if the force used by the officer was reasonable.
“The following information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed,” states the LAPD on their website.
