Suspect shot by police, officer injured in early-morning altercation in La Verne
A La Verne police officer was injured and a suspect was shot and wounded during an altercation early Saturday, authorities said.
The shooting occurred about 3:30 a.m. at an apartment complex in the 2400 block of Foothill Boulevard, officials said.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s investigators are assisting the La Verne Police Department with its probe of the incident, said Deputy Charles Moore.
Responding to a family disturbance call, La Verne police were confronted by a man with “an unknown, dark object” in his hand, Moore said. Believing it was a weapon, the officer ordered the man to drop the object, he said.
The man did not comply, Moore said.
“He fired at least one round at the male adult,” he said of the officer, adding that the object in the man’s hand wasn’t a weapon.
The man kept walking toward the officer, who then used his Taser, Moore said. The stun gun had no effect on the man.
Despite further commands, Moore said, the man continued approaching the officer, reached down at his waistband and made a threatening statement. The La Verne officer shot at the man several times, striking him once in the torso, Moore said. A stray bullet struck an assisting officer in the lower torso, authorities said.
Both men were taken to a hospital. The suspect’s condition was not known, and the officer was listed in stable condition, Moore said.
Neither the suspect nor the police officer was identified.
After daybreak Saturday, sheriff’s detectives and La Verne officers stood within a cordoned-off crime scene at the Amber Ridge Apartments, collecting evidence. Strewn on the ground near a La Verne police cruiser with its trunk open were a pair of brown boots and clothing.
Times staff photographer Irfan Khan contributed to this report.
For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber
UPDATES:
4:10 p.m. This article has been updated with new comments from authorities.
This article was originally posted at 12:15 p.m.
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