In response to an increase in shootings by Los Angeles Police Department officers this year, Mayor Karen Bass announced Friday that she will be working with the Police Commissioners to identify measures to reduce them.
On Friday, Bass issued a statement expressing that she was “deeply concerned by the recent rise in officer-involved shootings.” Bass said she met with LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell to discuss the issue, and will be working with the five-member Los Angeles Police Commission to understand the causes of the increase.
“I am particularly concerned about how individuals’ mental health may be factoring into these incidents. Too many times, our society lets people’s mental health deteriorate so significantly that they can either become the victims or the perpetrators of crimes,” Bass said in a statement. “Since taking office, I have worked to take a comprehensive approach to public safety, investing in strategies to divert calls for service involving Angelenos in crisis to trained mental health teams, and that will continue.”
Earlier in the day, the LAPD announced there was an investigation underway after an officer-involved shooting occurred downtown, which sent one person to the hospital. The shooting happened around 3:30 a.m. near Eighth Street and Gladys Avenue, where officers located a stolen car with two suspects inside.
LAPD officers conducted what was described as a “high-risk felony stop” and ordered the suspects to get out of the vehicle. Police said the suspect in the passenger seat did not comply with the orders, and grabbed what appeared to be a handgun. The officers then shot at the suspect.
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the person to a local hospital, where the department said he was in stable condition. The second suspect was taken into custody.
The police department is also investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Thursday along North Bronson and La Mirada avenues.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, LAPD officers from the Topanga Patrol Division shot at a suspect who allegedly broke into an apartment complex in the 20300 block of Saticoy Street in the San Fernando Valley.
The suspect, 39-year-old Edgar Ramirez, had allegedly broken windows, entered an apartment and was armed with a bat. Upon arrival, LAPD officers responded to the second floor of the complex, where they encountered Ramirez exiting a unit armed with a metal pole.
The officers gave several commands to drop the pole, which Ramirez did not follow. An officer shot Ramirez with a TASER, but it did not have an effect. Ramirez advanced toward them and the officer shot him, according to the LAPD.
Ramirez was struck by gunfire, but he did not immediately submit to arrest. An officer brought Ramirez to the ground and shortly after was taken into custody without further incident.
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported Ramirez to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.
Last week, the LAPD announced that officer-involved shootings increased this year, with 43 shootings by officers as of Monday, with 33 suspects struck by gunfire. There were 26 shootings by officers from Jan. 1-Dec. 8, 2024.
The 2025 shootings included 18 with suspects armed with firearms, up from 12 in 2024, the department stated. Suspects in nine shootings had imitation or replica guns, compared with four last year;.
Knives or other edged weapons were used in 10 shootings, up from six in 2024. Officers were fired upon 12 times this year, compared with seven in 2024.
“A preliminary analysis into the OIS increase shows the encounters our officers are facing this year are more violent and more dangerous,” the department said in a statement.
The criminal filings highlight the severity of these incidents, the department stated.
Six suspects were charged with attempted murder of a police officer, up from four last year, while 15 suspects were charged with assault with a deadly weapon on an officer, more than double the seven charged in 2024.
The department noted officers are facing a more dangerous environment this year, with more armed suspects, more replica firearms, more assaults with edged weapons and more instances of individuals firing at officers.
The increase in shootings by officers reflects a corresponding rise in violence directed at law enforcement, police said.
Each shooting by an officer undergoes multiple layers of review, including internal evaluations and independent oversight, to ensure compliance with law and department policy, police said.
Officers are trained to prioritize de-escalation, make sound tactical decisions and safely resolve critical incidents. Guided by the principle of “Reverence for Human Life,” they are instructed to use all available options when confronting violent individuals and can request specialized assistance, including mental health professionals, when necessary.