LAPD releases video of standoff in which officers fatally shot a hostage
On Tuesday, the LAPD released video footage of the June 16 incident in which a woman being held hostage by a man with a knife was fatally shot by officers.
Outside a homeless outreach center in Van Nuys on June 16, Guillermo Perez grabbed a woman and put a knife to her neck.
Three police officers shot at Perez, 32, killing him — and also the woman.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Department released dramatic video of the incident. As in the recent standoff at a Trader Joe’s in Silver Lake, officers aiming for a violent suspect unintentionally killed an innocent bystander.
Chief Michel Moore said at a news conference that the officers, who fired a total of 18 rounds, were forced to make a split-second decision. The LAPD identified the three officers as Eugene Damiano, Andrew Trock and Cristian Bonilla.
It had been 13 years since a hostage was killed by LAPD gunfire, but that has now occurred twice in the last six weeks, Moore said.
Even before the recent incidents, Moore said he was concerned about several trends in shootings by LAPD officers. The average number of officers involved per shooting and the number of rounds fired has increased, and shootings involving weapons other than firearms have increased.
Less-lethal weapons such as the beanbag shotgun that an officer initially fired at Perez have also become less effective in disabling suspects, Moore said.
Moore said he will be implementing new training for police officers as well equipping them with a 40-millimeter rifle that fires foam rounds and has a greater chance of stopping suspects.
For more news on the Los Angeles Police Department, follow me on Twitter: @cindychangLA
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