An investigation was underway Wednesday after Los Angeles Police Department officers in Watts fired at a suspect who was armed with what looked like an AR-type rifle, but turned out to be an Airsoft gun.
The chain of events started at 7:35 p.m. Tuesday when officers responded to a call of a kidnapping suspect in the area of Central Avenue and Century Boulevard, near Ted Watkins Memorial Park, according to the LAPD.
The suspect, later identified as Bryant Session, pointed the gun at two civilians before officers arrived, LAPD officials said.
Upon arrival, the officers located Session, who appeared to be armed with a rifle, standing outside a restaurant.
Session allegedly failed to comply with repeated orders to drop the gun, and instead moved behind a parked vehicle and pointed the gun at officers, prompting at least one of them to open fire.
“Session was not struck by gunfire and fled southbound from the officers toward a rear alley, where he concealed the rifle in a parking lot of a nearby apartment complex,” according to an LAPD statement. “Responding officers subsequently located and detained Session without further use of force. The victim positively identified Session, and he was later booked … (on suspicion of) kidnapping.”
No officers or civilians were injured, police said.
“The rifle was subsequently determined to be an Airsoft imitation firearm loaded with plastic BBs,” the department said.
Personnel from the LAPD’s Force Investigation Division responded to the scene and assumed investigative responsibility.