Police Tuesday identified an officer who shot at a 27-year-old suspect allegedly involved in a downtown Los Angeles shooting that killed a 56-year-old man.
The shooting occurred around 3:30 p.m. Oct. 6 near Fifth and Main streets, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
A uniformed Central Patrol Division sergeant was in the area and saw the shooting in progress. The suspect in the shooting, later identified as Isaiah Gregory Springs, ran away after being spotted, prompting a call for help, police said.
“The sergeant and responding officers pursued Springs on foot for several blocks to Spring Street just south of Fourth Street, where an officer-involved-shooting occurred,” according to a police statement.
Springs was not hit.
“Officers deployed 40mm less lethal munitions, striking Springs,” who was then taken into custody, police said.
Officers requested a rescue ambulance, which took Springs to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained from the munitions.
“A handgun was recovered at (the) scene and booked as evidence,” police said, adding that the shooting victim later died.
He was identified by the Los Angeles County Office of Medical Examiner as Miquel Luque, whose place of residence was not disclosed. The medical examiner’s office reported that Luque died on the sidewalk from a gunshot wound to his right upper back and neck.
The officer who shot at him was identified as Reuben Avalos.
The motive for the fatal shooting has not been determined.
Springs was booked on suspicion of murder and on Monday was being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles on $3.075 million bail, according to jail records.
The LAPD’s Force Investigation Division was leading the shooting probe.