A man was shot at El Camino College by police responding to a call of an armed man holding a female hostage, officials said.
When officers arrived to the parking lot where the hostage situation was reported, a man pointed a gun at him, said El Camino College campus police chief Mike Trevis. At least one of the officers fired. Witnesses heard multiple shots.
"The suspect was taken to the hospital and is still alive," said Trevis.
Investigation revealed no evidence there had been a hostage. Asked if the call had been a ploy to lure police into a confrontation, Chief Trevis said it was too early in the investigation to determine.
What appeared to be a handgun lay on the floor near where the suspect went down. Campus Police asked the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept to handle the follow-up investigation.
The wounded suspect was not initially identified, but appeared to be in his early 20s. Investigators were attempting to verify a tip he attended El Camino as a student last semester, said Sheriff's Homicide Lt. Dave Dolson.
The South Bay community college's campus was not on lockdown Thursday morning, officials said, describing the incident as isolated to a parking structure at the far west end of campus.
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The El Camino Police Department closed Parking Lot F "until further notice," citing police activity. Classes continued on a regular schedule, according to a school official.
NBC News reporter Andrew Blankstein contributed to this report. Refresh this page for updates on this developing story.
