Two officers suffered minor injuries Sunday when shots were fired at them in the Florence section of South Los Angeles, prompting a massive hunt for suspects.
The shooting was reported just before 6 p.m. at the intersection of 65th Street and Broadway, Los Angeles police Detective Meghan Aguilar said.
The plainclothes officers from the LAPD’s 77th Street Station were in a vehicle when they came under fire, she said.
They returned fire but it was unclear if any suspects were hit, Aguilar said.
Several suspect ran in various directions after the shooting, she said.
It was unclear if the officers suffered gunshot wounds or were struck by shrapnel or glass, but they were treated at the scene and did not require a trip to a hospital, the detective said.
A perimeter was set up as officers from several stations flooded the area to search for suspects.
Broadcast news video showed two men being taken into custody by officers at the scene, where SWAT units, a helicopter and armored vehicles also responded.
“A number of individuals have been detained,” but two were outstanding and SWAT officers and K9 units were searching for them, Aguilar said.
Residents within the cordon — bordered by Gage Avenue to the north, Broadway to the west, Main Street to the east and Florence Avenue to the south — were advised to shelter in place and call 911 to report anything suspicious. Anyone outside the perimeter was advised to avoid the area while the search was being conducted, Aguilar said.
The intersection where the officers came under fire is near the spot where 25-year-old Ezell Ford, an unarmed black man, was fatally shot by officers after he allegedly tried to pull one of their guns from its holster on Aug. 11, sparking outrage and legal claims against the city of Los Angeles, LAPD and the two officers involved.
— City News Service