A man in his 30s who crashed a van into two vehicles and then opened fire on police who had been following him was critically wounded Friday afternoon in an officer-involved shooting in Wilmington.
No officers were injured as a result of the shooting, which occurred about 3:25 p.m. in the area of Opp Street and Fries Avenue, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Drake Madison said.
"The driver of the minivan exited, faced officers and fired rounds in the direction of the officers," LAPD Captain Meghan Aguilar said.
A bystander in a second-floor apartment was also struck with a bullet and suffered a non-life-threatening injury, Madison said. That person, whose age and gender were not immediately available, was taken to a hospital, the officer said.
Officers from the LAPD's Harbor Division were working a gang detail when they saw a white van being driven erratically in the area of Anaheim and Ronan streets, Madison said. The officers got behind the suspect's vehicle, which sped up in the area of Opp Street and Fries Avenue and struck two vehicles, coming to a stop after hitting the second.
The suspect then got out of the van and allegedly opened fire on the officers, Madison said. An officer-involved shooting occurred and the suspect was hit and went down. He was in critical condition when taken to a hospital, where he underwent surgery.
Police noted that a disturbing trend is on the rise that threatens both officers and the community.
"This is the fourth time in the last month that officers have been threatened by handguns or have been fired upon," Aguilar said.
An update on his condition was not immediately available, Madison said. None of the other drivers were injured, according to Madison, who said a handgun was recovered at the scene. Part of the shooting investigation would involve determining who fired the shot that hit the bystander, Madison said.
