Results tagged “OIS” from Crime Scene

From reporter Dan Abendschein:

The two police officers who shot and killed 38-year-old Pasadena resident Leroy Barnes in February will not face any criminal charges from the county, officials said Wednesday.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office concluded its investigation Wednesday and notified the Pasadena Police Department of that finding, writing that the officers acted in "lawful self-defense."

"This analysis must also allow for the fact that officers are often forced to make split-second judgments, about the amount of force that is necessary, in circumstances that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving," said the report's conclusion. Barnes, a parolee, was shot 11 times, including seven times in the back, after officers pulled over a car driven by Emeka Edwards on Mentone Avenue on Feb. 19. Barnes was a passenger.

Edi Faal, the attorney representing the family of Leroy Barnes, said he learned at a community meeting this morning that Barnes was shot seven times in the back by officers.

We are working to verify this information. Obviously the coroner's report will contain much of the needed proof.

Meanwhile, Pasadena police Chief Melekian is still scheduling a 2:30 p.m. meeting with the media to release the findings of his department's investigation into Barnes' shooting.

Melekian said the Office of Independent Review, which handles similar inquiries for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, will conduct its own investigation.

Pasadena police Chief Barney Melekian met over lunch Monday with me and Pasadena Star-News City Editor Hector Gonzalez.

The primary purpose of the meeting was a wide-ranging discussion of the officer involved shooting that led to the death of Leroy Barnes in Pasadena in February.

Melekian said his department's investigation had concluded the shotting was justified. He also said that the facts of the case in some way explain the two statements issued in the immediate aftermath of Barnes' death.

The Chief also said he regretted putting together a statement so early. But explained it was his way of compensating for taking 14 hours to release a statement in the wake of the last fatal Pasadena OIS.

"Fourteen hours was too long," he admitted. "Next time I'll find that golden window of opportunity between 90 minutes and 14 hours."

Melekian also lamented the decline of newspapers in America. And likened the plight of journalists and newspapers to the status of police departments and police officers 20 years ago.

"It seems like you all are talking just among yourselves," he said. Cops "used to do that. But then we learned."

The lunch took place at Japon Bistro on Colorado. Hector ordered tempura and california roll; the chief had the tempura and sushi plate. 

I really believe that the meltdown that led to Ernesto Castaneda's death was probably an anniversarial reaction to something. In March 2008 he evaded officers while drunk and earned a conviction in El Monte Superior Court.

This March (Sunday to be exact) he went on a bender and attacked deputies with a machete and a baseball bat before they shot him to death.  Jennifer McLain's story from today's newspaper leads me to believe that Castaneda's depression and the ides of March are somehow linked. Here's portions of her story:

ROSEMEAD - The young man who was shot and killed by deputies Sunday after brandishing a machete struggled with depression since the death of his mother, neighbors said.

Ernesto Castaneda, 22, died at a nearby hospital on Sunday after deputies shot him. Castaneda's father called the police on his son around 11 a.m. on Sunday because Castaneda was "high" and armed with a machete, according to sheriff's deputies.

<snip> 

"He was a good boy," said neighbor Lorraine O'Neill, who has known Castaneda since he was a child. "He just got depressed after his mom died three years ago and he's been struggling since then."

Last March, Castaneda was convicted of evading arrest and being under the influence of alcohol or drugs in a vehicle.

I also think it's interesting to compare how the sheriff's department has handled the case to Pasadena's handling of the Leroy Barnes shooting.  

This from reporter Robert Hong in Pasadena:

ALTADENA - A man was shot by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 3000 block of Highview Avenue, authorities said.

No deputies were harmed in the incident, and the man was taken to a local hospital.

No details were released as to why the man was shot.

No further information was available.

Barney Melekian is hosting police* chiefs from around the state for an annual training symposium beginning Tuesday at the newly reopened Pasadena Convention Center:

Here's a link to the schedule.

On Thursday, Melekian hosts a workshop: "Police Chief as City Manager"

At least he's not giving lessons in how to handle the press at an officer involved shooting.

The Pasadena Police Department has told the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner to withhold investigative and autopsy information in the Leroy Barnes shooting for "security reasons." Apparently there's a real need for something to remain secret in the case..

This from Coroner's Chief Ed Winter:

"The law enforcement agency asked for more time to do further investigation in the case.

We're not allowed to release any information until the hold is released. Most of the time it's for follow up on more information. They are probably still seeking witnesses and this so (anyone interested) isn't alerted to the facts by reading the newspaper."

The hold could last for as long as 90 days, Winter said.

"After 90 days we send them a note and make a call, 'It's been 90 days, what the heck? At that point they are going to have to justify why or what's taking so long to finish up this investigation," Winter added.

Certainties exist in life.

Pasadena officials would have us believe one of those certainties played out at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Mentone Avenue last week: Pull a gun on a cop, expect to be shot.

If that's what Leroy Barnes did, he deserved to pay with his life.

If that's what happened.

In public life certainties exist as well. Misrepresentations will cost agencies their reputations.

The Pasadena police department's reputation is on the line because of misrepresentations.

Did Pasadena police officers involved in the shooting mislead police spokeswoman Janet Pope-Givens and subsequently Chief Barney Melekian?

Or, did Pope-Givens and Melekian mislead the public with their initial statements at the scene?

After the shooting of

Barnes, 37, a parolee with a state prison record that included a conviction for firing at an officer in 1993, Pope-Givens and Melekian both spoke to the media.

Pope-Givens said Barnes was in a car that had been pulled over. She said Barnes got out of the car. She said Barnes fired on officers who shot back and killed him.

A few hours later Melekian said, "It appears from all accounts the officers' version is correct." He said the department would release a video of the incident within days.

The next day, the stories changed.

It turns out Barnes did not get out of the car. And he did not fire on officers. As for the video, Melekian said there is a legal challenge that prevents its release.

Which raises other questions:

What should we believe now?

Why hasn't the Sheriff's Department been called in to independently investigate?

Certainly the Bulldogs in the Homicide Bureau have the trust of many other communities.

Instead, the Pasadena will handle the investigation on its own and turn over those results to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the FBI.

Adding insult to injury, the Police Department ordered a streetside memorial to Barnes dismantled, because it was blocking the sidewalk.

The Pasadena Police Department has lost some of its stature and much of its credibility.

Lacking credibility, what leadership can Melekian offer that would bridge the gap between Pasadena's hard-working police officers and the community they serve?

What's to say he won't be misled again?

It's time to bring in competent and experienced detectives from the Sheriff's Department to repair any credibility gap that may have formed.

Police Link, a blog that serves as a round-up of law enforcement news from around the country has some interesting comments posted regarding last Thursday's OIS in Pasadena.

Leroy Barnes, Jr. a 37-year-old parolee with a history of run-ins with the law, was shot and killed by officers after a traffic stop. Here's a link and the photo caption:

Pasadena Police handed out this photograph of the carried by Leroy Barnes. (Photo: Pasadena Police)

There's a growing amount of anti-police sentiment brewing in Northwest Pasadena following the officer involved shooting that claimed the life of Leroy Barnes.

Much of the anger and outrage has been directed at Pasadena police Chief Barney Melekian, who stumbled in his initial statements to the press and subsequent appearance at City Hall Monday night.

Doubtless, Melekian was looking to exit the police department when he accepted a role as the citys acting city manager. In light of the recent shooting and brewing community unrest, is it time for Melekian to resign?

First Police Chief Barney Melekian promised to hold a press conference Monday where he would discuss the officer involved shooting of Leroy Barnes.

Then he rescinded the promise.

Then he rescinded his decision not to speak and talked to reporters after all. Here's some of what was said:

Apparently 11 shots were fired in the incident. Barnes did not fire his weapon. I'll have more when it becomes known 

Police Chief Barney Melekian is now softening the official version of events that led to the death of 38-year-old Leroy Barnes in Northwest Pasadena.

While police originally claimed Barnes got out of his car and began firing at officers, Melekian now says that Barnes was shot while in the car after a struggle with officers. He would not back up his earlier claim that Barnes shot at officers saying only that his original statement came at a time when the incident was still under investigation.

Interesting that Melekian consults the Sheriff's Department. Perhaps he should take some lessons from Sheriff's Homicide officials who are very careful about what they release in the early minutes following a shooting....

There's more to report as well...

Photographer Keith Birmingham says tensions in the neighborhood are high. He witnessed several men carrying firearms in the open. Several people in the community have advised our reporters to stay away until tension subsides....

Leroy Barnes, the man shot and killed after apparently firing on Pasadena police officers had been in a shootout with Pasadena police in the early 1990s, according to authorities.

Barnes apparently had a long criminal history that includes convictions for tresspassing, spousal battery and assaulting an officer. A story is coming and we'll continue to flesh out the details of the shooting throughout the day.

*UPDATE from Nate McIntire:

A police officer shot and killed a young Pasadena man near the intersection of Washington and Mentone, officials said Thursday. Police said they shot the man after he opened fire on them. A young woman is in custody.

An unruly crowd and several television crews are making crowd control difficult for the Pasadena Police Department, according to reports from the scene. The shooting is the second OIS in Pasadena in the last several months.

Not sure if this is a training issue or a matter of bad timing. Perhaps Chief Barney Melekian will address some of the issues raised at the scene.

Police attempting to stop a robbery get involved in a shootout that left one man dead. The suspected robbers have San Gabriel Valley ties according to this story, which ran in Tuesday's Daily Bulletin:

CHINO - An innocent bystander on Sunday was killed during a shootout involving police and two men who had attempted to rob a restaurant.

A Chino police officer and two suspects in the robbery were also hospitalized following the incident.

Police said Daniel Baledran, 21, of Rubidoux was shot to death by a police officer during the shootout near the Papa John's restaurant on 12615 Central Avenue.

Baledran was in the immediate area of the restaurant when the shots were fired and was considered an "innocent victim," said Michelle Van Der Linden, Chino public information officer.

Police officers initially thought Baledran was part of the robbery, but investigators later determined he was not.

<snip>

On Monday evening, the suspects - Edward Cisneros of La Mirada and Joel Anthony Jaquez of Hacienda Heights, both about 28 years old - were in critical condition and awaiting surgery, Van Der Linden said.  

Sheriff's homicide detectives are in Sierra Madre this evening to investigate an officer involved shooting that resulted in a man being seriously wounded, officials said.

The shooting occurred in the 200 block of West Sierra Madre Boulevard at 3:36 this morning.

According to the sheriff's department a Sierra Madre police officer on patrol early Friday recovered a stolen Nissan Murano. it had been reported missing in Pacifica, a town in Northern California.

The officer had the vehicle towed to a garage at the police department. When the officeer opened the locked car, he was confronted by a suspect who had been hiding under a blanket in the rear of the Murano.

The cop fired and shot and wounded the suspect.

The suspect was only identified as a 46-year-old man. He was struck in the upper body and taken to the hospital, officials said.

The officer was not injured, officials said.

There's been an officer involved shooting in Pasadena, at least according to our newsroom scanner.

Sounds like the event took place somewhere in the 1200 block of Glenoak. I'll update as I know more.

*apparently the shooting took place in the 1300 block of Wierfield.

*A field show up of some sort has occurred. There is apparently someone in custody.

ROSEMEAD, Calif. (AP) ― Authorities say Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a stabbing suspect who charged at them with a metal pole in a Rosemead home. 

Sheriff's Sgt. Anthony Haynes says deputies found a wounded female stabbing victim late Tuesday night and tracked down the suspect about 45 minutes later. 

Lt. Liam Gallagher tells reporters the man charged out of a bathroom at deputies and hit one of them with the pole, injuring the deputy on his arm. 

Here's what we've posted in the Whittier Daily News. Very few datails have emerged in the wake of the shooting:

PICO RIVERA - Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said a deputy was involved in a shooting at about 12:53 Wednesday morning at Rosemead Boulevard and Reichling Lane in Pico Rivera.

No sheriff's deputies were injured in the incident, but officials have declined to say whether any suspect was hurt or killed.

According to a sheriff's press release, "two male hispanic adults" are listed as suspects in the incident.

The department has sent internal affairs investigators to the scene to learn more about what happened, according to the press release. Sgt. Rich Pena said the department will soon provide more details.

At least two bullet holes were visible in a truck belonging to a neighbor, and officials towed another car from the driveway.