A man who was killed in a deputy-involved shooting in Palmdale that occurred after his vehicle crashed near the drive-through of a fast-food restaurant was identified Monday.
Leroy Browning, 30, of Palmdale, died at a hospital following the 3 a.m. Sunday shooting in the 37900 block of 47th Street East.
At the time of the shooting, Browning was wanted on a warrant stemming from a home-invasion robbery in which a victim was shot, according to the sheriff’s department.
Deputies were dispatched to the fast-food restaurant on a report that a motorist appeared to be unconscious after a vehicle crashed, according to Deputy Crystal Hernandez of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
“When deputies arrived, they made contact with the suspect/driver, and based on initial observations, they began to conduct a driving under the influence investigation,” Hernandez said.
Browning was placed in the rear of a patrol car, and deputies then decided to place him under arrest, Hernandez said. When they tried to handcuff him, he jumped out of the patrol car and began fighting with a deputy, Hernandez said.
“Other deputies came to the deputy’s aid as the fight was taken to the ground,” Hernandez said.
“At some point during the fight, the suspect grabbed (hold) of the deputy’s weapon,” Hernandez said. “The deputy immediately attempted to retain his weapon while he advised the other deputies that the suspect was trying to remove his weapon.
“The deputies attempted to subdue the suspect, to no avail, as the suspect refused to relinquish his grasp on the deputy’s weapon,” Hernandez said.
“Fearing the suspect was a threat and danger to himself, the deputies, and others, a deputy-involved shooting occurred,” Hernandez said.
Browning was wounded and was taken to a hospital, where he died. The deputies were treated for cuts, bruises, and abrasions, Hernandez said.
“During the course of their investigation, detectives located a blue- steel pistol and a large baggie of marijuana located inside the suspect’s vehicle,” Hernandez said.
— City News Service