DOWNEY — Los Angeles County Sheriff's investigators said Downey police fatally shot an alleged robbery suspect Saturday because he ran from them, twice, and then approached them in a threatening manner as they were investigating an armed robbery.
But family members said the man was unarmed and had jaywalked across a busy street to buy cigarettes as his wife bought gas near Imperial Highway and Paramount Boulevard.
The officer-involved shooting near Imperial Highway and Paramount Boulevard occurred about 7:20 p.m., said Downey police Sgt. Perry Miller.
The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, but the body has not yet been transported to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, so official identification has not been confirmed, said Lt. Cheryl MacWillie of the Coroner's Office.
The Downey police officers responded to a call of an armed robbery and saw the suspect in the area acting suspiciously, said Sgt. Michael Thomas of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau.
Officers detained the suspect but he escaped and ran into the yard of a nearby house. As officers contained the area, the suspect tried to flee again but was captured at Imperial Highway and Paramount Boulevard.
The suspect escaped detention again and fled, leading the officers on a short foot pursuit.
During the foot pursuit, the suspect allegedly turned toward the pursuing Downey officers in an aggressive manner. Fearing the
suspect was armed, an officer shot the suspect, Thomas said.A sister of the man told KCBS Channel 2 that her brother was not involved in the robbery.
"My brother and his wife were getting gas. He went across the street to get some cigarettes. He jaywalked, I guess. And the police saw him. Confronted him. I don't know what happened, but they shot him ... in the back. Five times. Killed him," Terri Teramura said.
Teramura said her brother had four children.
No weapon was recovered, Thomas said.
No information about the robbery or a description of the suspect sought was released.
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