Press-releaseLONG BEACH
POLICE
DEPARTMENT
Media Relations
400 W. Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 570-5273
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Release #
2/17/2020
Click Images to Enlarge
Photos of suspect's firearm located at the scene.
The below information was updated on 2/17/20 at 12:15 p.m. with the vehicle code violation
observed by the officers:
On February 16, 2020 at approximately 10:10 p.m., officers were involved in an officer
involved shooting in the area of East Rhea Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, which
resulted in the death of a male adult.
In an ongoing effort to curb violent crime in the City, officers were working as part of a
violent crime task force in the 900 block of East 19th Street when they attempted to stop an
adult male suspect on a bicycle for a vehicle code violation observed by the officers. The
suspect immediately fled on foot, and a foot pursuit was initiated.
After several de-escalation attempts by the officers, the suspect continued to be
uncooperative. Officers first deployed their conducted electrical weapon on the suspect.
OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING – EAST RHEA STREET AND MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. AVENUE
Subject:
Media Relations Detail
(562) 570-5273
LBPDMediaRelations@longbeach.gov
Contact:
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The suspect then brandished a firearm towards one of the officers. Officers indicated at
least one shot was fired by the suspect, and an officer involved shooting occurred.
Officers rendered aid to the suspect until Long Beach Fire personnel arrived on scene. The
suspect was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The
suspect is only being identified as an adult male, pending identification by the Los Angeles
County Coroner’s Office.
The firearm believed to be in the possession of the suspect was located at the scene.
No officers were injured during the incident.
As with all officer involved shooting incidents, the Department will be conducting a full and
thorough multi-level review of the incident. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office
will conduct an independent investigation of the incident, as they do with all officer involved
shootings that result in injury or death.
Anyone with any information regarding this incident is urged to contact Long Beach Police
Department Homicide Detectives Oscar Valenzuela and Eric Thai at (562) 570-7244. Anyone
wishing to remain anonymous may call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or text TIPLA plus your tip to
274637 (CRIMES), or visit www.lacrimestoppers.org.
This information is preliminary and is intended for early information use rather than being a
formal investigative report.
About Long Beach Police DepartmentThe mission of the Long Beach Police Department is to enhance public safety through
partnerships, while providing a safe City for all people. For more information on the Police Department, please visit us at www.longbeach.gov/police. Follow us on social media to
stay connected: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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