A plainclothes LAPD officer was injured and lost possession of his handgun and handcuffs in an encounter with vandalism suspects during a political march Thursday night, police said.
The officer was taken to an emergency room for examination, and released Friday. Two suspects were arrested, but the gun and handcuffs remain missing, according to LAPD Sgt. Frank Preciado.
The incident occurred in the green space used as a dog park on the backside of LAPD's downtown Los Angeles Administration Building. Marching demonstrators protesting President-elect Donald Trump passed by the location.
When the officer approached a man who appeared to be tagging, the man became verbally, then physically combative, and the encounter took both to the ground, with the officer losing control of his gun and handcuffs, Preciado said. A woman was nearby.
"We do know the female picked up the handcuffs and struck the officer," said Preciado.
It was not clear whether the suspects knew that the man in plainclothes was an officer. It's LAPD policy for officers to identify themselves when making an arrest.
Preciado said, during the course of the struggle, the officer used his police radio to call for help.
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A female suspect was located immediately, but some time elapsed before police arrested a male suspect. Whether he may have hidden the gun and handcuffs, or transferred them to someone else, police could not say.
Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD officials have issued statements pledging support for public exercise of free speech and assembly, but warning demonstrators they face arrest if they violate laws.
Thousands are expected to gather Saturday morning in MacArthur park for a "March in LA Against Trump" that would be the largest protest in Southern California since the outcome of Tuesday's election sparked waves of protest.
