An 18-year-old man is in custody after police said he ran toward officers while holding a handgun, resulting in at least one officer opening fire in the area of 1st and Vicente Fernandez streets late Sunday night.
Gabriel Gomez, who was not injured in the shooting, was arrested on suspicion of shooting at an “inhabited” building, the Los Angeles Police Department said in an April 2 statement.
Hollenbeck Division officers were patrolling the area at about 10:15 p.m. when they observed an unoccupied pick-up truck with its doors open stopped in the middle of the street. Officers exited their patrol vehicle to investigate and heard gunfire in the area of Mariachi Plaza.
Officers walked toward the plaza when two suspects, both male, ran in their direction, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. One of the suspects, later identified as Gomez, was holding a handgun, police said. Officers ordered Gomez to the ground, but he continued running in their direction and at least one officer opened fire, police said.
Gomez was not struck by gunfire and fled through the plaza on foot, police said, adding that he was quickly apprehended about a block away and was taken into custody.
The pick-up truck, as well as the second suspect, were no longer at the site of the incident when officers returned to investigate.
A “loaded 9mm semiautomatic Polymer 80 Ghost Gun” was located and recovered from the scene, with a live round lodged in its chamber, according to police. A bullet casing was also found in the area where Gomez ran from.
The agency’s Force Investigation Division investigators, who responded to the scene, are investigating the incident.
