A possibly suicidal man who led a short pursuit in the South Gate area was shot in the lower body by a sheriff’s deputy Friday when he allegedly struck another deputy with his pickup.
The shooting occurred about 9:30 a.m. at Garfield Avenue and Century Boulevard, said Deputy James Nagao of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
The man was taken to a hospital in unknown condition with one gunshot wound to his “abdominal area,” Deputy Ed Luna of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. His name was not immediately released.
ABC7 reported that the suspect steered his white pickup toward a deputy who was putting down a spike strip during the pursuit, prompting another deputy to open fire, striking the driver in the chest. The deputy with the spike strip was struck by the vehicle, suffering only minor injuries, the station reported.
The wounded suspect continued driving to his family’s residence in Bellflower, where he stopped and was taken to a hospital.
The suspect’s mother told KTLA5 her son was suicidal.
“We had called the police this morning to tell them he was suicidal, and they didn’t help us,” the woman said. “They didn’t help us. They didn’t tell me who to call … nothing. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know all the details. But I know they shot him, and he is the victim. It’s not the police officers.”