LA County Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed a man on Saturday night in Lancaster who they later said was a wanted felon gang member who had reached for his waistband, officials said.
Christian Cobian, 26, was celebrating a baptism with his family when he took his bicycle to buy cigarettes, the victim's aunt said.
"He wasn't doing anything wrong, and he didn't deserve to die this way," she said.
The incident began just before 11 p.m. Saturday at 10th Street West and West Avenue J-4, said sheriff's Lt. Kim Unland.
It started when two deputies in a patrol car tried to stop a man who was riding a bicycle without a headlight in a dimly lit area, officials said. Deputies said the man ignored their commands to stop before he got off the bike and ran behind a nearby business.
At least one deputy fired at the man during a foot chase when officials said he reached toward his waistband. Investigators combed the area for hours but the search turned up no weapon.
Neighbors reported hearing multiple shots fired.
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"If anything they could've used bean bags or whatever they use, but they killed that little boy," one neighbor told NBC 4.
Deputies said Cobian, who died at the scene, was an Inglewood gang member who had recently moved to Lancaster and had a warrant for his arrest on a narcotics violation.
Police said he was an ex-con who was on probation for a felony receiving stolen property conviction.
A second man was initially detained at the scene, but was released after deputies said he wasn't involved with the incident.
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