Someone might have removed a gun that was possibly carried by a 16-year-old boy who was shot to death in one of two deputy- involved shootings in the Southland in under four hours, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported Monday.
Anthony Weber of Los Angeles died at the scene of the first shooting, which occurred at 8:20 p.m. Sunday in the 1200 block of West 107th Street in unincorporated Westmont, abutting South Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
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Deputies were called to the area because a young man was reportedly pointing a handgun at a motorist, sheriff’s Deputy Wally Bracks said. Arriving deputies saw the suspect had a handgun tucked into his waistband, Bracks said.
The suspect allegedly ran from deputies, who pursued him on foot. During the chase, the boy turned toward the deputies and they fired at him, Bracks said.
“The subject was struck several times in the upper body by gunfire and collapsed at the location,” Bracks said.
No handgun has been found, the sheriff’s department reported.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the courtyard of the apartment complex where the boy was shot “was flooded with people who were trying to get to the subject and the deputies,” according to a sheriff’s department statement.
“Citizens were extremely irate while confronting the deputies regarding the shooting. The deputies estimated the crowd to be 30-40 people,” according to Deputy Sara Rodriguez of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau. “The deputies immediately requested medical assistance and additional personnel in an effort to calm the citizens and prevent them from reaching the subject. While waiting for additional deputies and trying to control the situation, it is believed that someone may have been able to gain possession of the gun and take it.”
A 5 p.m. vigil and news conference are planned at the fatal shooting scene by civil rights leaders from Project Islamic Hope.
Separately, the department also reported a deputy-involved shooting in Artesia, which occurred at Horst Avenue and Artesia Boulevard at 12:08 a.m. Monday and left a 21-year-old man wounded.
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“A Lakewood Station deputy was patrolling the area of Artesia Boulevard and Norwalk Boulevard, when she saw the suspect,” a sheriff’s statement said. “Upon seeing the deputy, the suspect discarded a glass pipe, which is commonly used to smoke narcotics, and started running west on Artesia Boulevard.
“When the deputy attempted to contact the suspect, the suspect placed his hand inside the waistline of his pants and moved toward the deputy while yelling profanities,” the statement continued.
The deputy then shot the man, who was hospitalized in stable condition, the sheriff’s department reported.
“The suspect is a known local gang member and was found to be in possession of a knife and a small amount of methamphetamine,” the statement said.
No deputies were injured in either shooting.
Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
—City News Service
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