The Los Angeles Police Department has released the identity of two sergeants who got into a violent struggle with a man who died hours later.
Robert Calderon and Jeff Mares, who are assigned to the Newtown Division Gang Enforcement Detail, were involved in the altercation with 37-year-old Omar Abrego on Aug. 2, the LAPD said in a news release.
According to the LAPD, Abrego nearly struck a pedestrian as he drove erratically and sped in a white vehicle in South LA that evening. Abrego pulled over in the 6900 block of South Main Street and allegedly attempted to flee before being apprehended by the sergeants.
Abrego suffered a laceration during a physical altercation with the sergeants, the LAPD said. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead early the next morning.
One sergeant suffered a knee injury while the other fractured his hand, the LAPD said. Both were treated at a hospital and released.
Parallel probes into the incident were launched by the LAPD and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, police said.
Abrego's encounter with the LAPD occurred about four blocks away from where gang enforcement officers fatally shot 25-year-old Ezell Ford after stopping him for questioning. Those officers were also identified.
