SWAT Officers Fired Upon During Warrant Service

On February 17 at approximately 4:45 a.m., Long Beach Police Department SWAT officers were shot at by a suspect as they were serving a high-risk search warrant in the 18000 block of Alexander Avenue in the city of Cerritos. No officers were injured.

SWAT was serving a search warrant for narcotics related activity and was used in this incident because the narcotics investigation led detectives to believe the suspect was possibly armed and dangerous. They surrounded the location and were going to call the suspect out when the suspect opened fire on them with an assault rifle. 

The officers subsequently returned fire and deployed tear gas into the residence. Two subjects exited the residence and were detained by officers, but the suspect remained inside. The subjects were later identified as the mother and uncle of the suspect.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Special Enforcement Bureau was requested and assisted SWAT personnel with coordinating evacuations. Six homes and approximately 20 people were evacuated from the immediate area for the remainder of the tactical operation and were taken to a safe location. 

After a long standoff, SWAT officers entered the residence and found the suspect deceased from a gunshot wound to the upper torso. It is unknown at this time if the gunshot wound was self-inflicted or from the SWAT officer’s earlier return of gunfire.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office will conduct its own independent investigation and release the identity of the suspect pending notification of next of kin. 

The police department thoroughly reviews all use of force incidents through a rigorous multi-step process that evaluates legal, policy, tactical, and equipment issues. Additionally, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting, as they do with all officer-involved shootings that occur in Los Angeles County that result in injury or death.

The Long Beach Homicide Detail investigates all officer-involved shootings. This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call Long Beach homicide Detectives at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the "P3 Tips" app to your smart phone (available at the Apple App store and Google Play), or visiting http://www.lacrimestoppers.org/