Dispute Over Parking Space Leads to Death : Law enforcement: An officer responding to a call for aid in Cypress Park fatally shoots an armed, 26-year-old gang member.

A confrontation over a parking space turned deadly when a Los Angeles police officer shot and killed a gang member who allegedly threatened a Cypress Park man, authorities said Tuesday.

Hector Frausto, 26, died of a gunshot wound to the chest at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center shortly after the incident at 7:30 p.m. Monday, said Officer Arthur Holmes of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Officer Harold Marinelli, who shot Frausto, told police investigators that Frausto had pointed a loaded, .22-caliber semiautomatic pistol at him and another officer as they responded to a call for aid.

The shooting is under investigation by Northeast Division detectives.

Holmes said the incident began after dark when a resident of the 3400 block of Thorpe Avenue called to report that 15 to 20 gang members were loitering in his alley, preventing him from parking his car.

The caller told police that one of the gang members threatened him with a handgun, Holmes said.

As the two uniformed officers pulled into the alley, Holmes said, they saw two men and drove toward them.

When they noticed that one of the men had a gun, Holmes said, they ordered him to drop it. Instead, Holmes said, the man raised the weapon and pointed it at the officers.

“In fear for his life,” Marinelli, 34, an eight-year veteran, fired one round from his 12-gauge shotgun, Holmes said. Frausto fell to the pavement, dropping his loaded pistol, and the second suspect fled, Holmes said.