Second man charged with shooting at two LAPD officers

Prosecutors have charged a second suspect in connection with the shooting at a Los Angeles police patrol car Sunday night during an attack on a rival gang.

James Brooks, 19, was arrested Wednesday in Las Vegas after an investigation led by the FBI/LAPD Fugitive Task Force, FBI spokeswoman Ari DeKofsky said.

Details about his arrest were limited. LAPD spokesman Jack Richter said police had received little information about Brooks’ arrest.

Brooks has been charged with five felony counts as well as gang and gun allegations, said Jane Robison, spokeswoman of the Los Angeles district attorney’s office.

Police had been searching for Brooks after authorities said he and Christopher Taylor, 18, fired shots toward the LAPD patrol car.

Taylor, a reputed gang member, was arrested shortly after the shooting, but Brooks allegedly fled the scene.

Both Taylor, who was charged earlier this week, and Brooks face two counts each of shooting at an occupied vehicle and assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm, as well as one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, Robison said.

The incident involved an LAPD patrol car from the 77th Street Division that was driving through the area of Hoover Street and Gage Avenue. Authorities said Taylor and Brooks opened fire on rival gang members in another car.

The car carrying the rival gang members sped away, but the LAPD vehicle was fired upon, prosecutors said.

The officers didn’t realize they had driven into a gang fight, officials said. But after the shots were fired, an LAPD officer returned fire.

No one was injured.

For breaking news, follow @VeronicaRochaLA