Three Los Angeles police officers were wounded during a shootout with a wanted parolee, who was killed during the gunfire exchange.
Officers were scouring the Lincoln Heights area on Wednesday for a parolee at large when they finally found him barricaded inside a shed around 6:45 p.m., according to a tweet from the LAPD.
When the suspect refused officers’ orders to exit, they used a chemical agent in a bid to force him out of the structure.
Instead, he flung open the door and unleashed a hail of bullets, prompting at least one officer to return fire, Los Angeles Police Cmdr. Stacy Spell told reporters.
Three officers, described as senior-level members of the Los Angeles Police Department’s K-9 unit, were wounded in the shooting. The first was struck in the arm while another was hit in the leg, CBS News reported. A third officer was also shot in the stomach.
No dogs were injured amid the standoff.
Mayor Karen Bass said she spoke with two of three wounded officers, all of whom were listed in stable condition. She described them as alert, adding they were more concerned about their colleagues than their own well-being.
“Everyday the men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department put themselves in harm’s way. Tonight is a reminder that the danger is very real,” Bass said at a press conference late Wednesday night.
“I deeply appreciate their service and let them know that their city stands with them, and I very much look forward to their recovery.”
The suspect, who has not been identified, was declared dead at the scene just before 9:30 p.m., hours after the start lengthy standoff.