The coroner’s office has released the name of a man with a gun who tried to carjack a patron at a Jack In The Box drive-through lane in South Gate and was killed by police moments later.
He was 23-year-old Brian Barbosa, said coroner’s Lt. Larry Dietz. Barbosa’s city of residence was not immediately reported.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s homicide detectives and District Attorney’s office investigators were assisting the small South Gate Police Department after the police-involved killing, which happened near the Jack In The Box at Atlantic Avenue and Firestone Boulevard, 10 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
Police said the gunman attempted to carjack a motorist at 3:48 a.m. but was unsuccessful. As officers were taking a report, the suspect was spotted walking nearby, said Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau. The suspect then ran from officers and attempted a second carjacking, at Annetta Avenue.
After his second failed carjacking attempt, the suspect ran into the neighboring residential yards between Annetta and Kauffman avenues, Navarro- Suarez said.
“As a search for the suspect was underway, the suspect emerged on the east sidewalk of the 8900 block of Kauffman Avenue, armed with a handgun,” the deputy said. “He confronted SGPD officers” and was shot.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. His firearm was recovered at the scene, Navarro-Suarez said.
The victims of the carjackings and the South Gate police officers were not injured.
Sheriff’s homicide detectives asked anyone with any information regarding the attempted carjackings and officer-involved shooting to call them at (323) 890-5500.
—City News Service