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Events began in downtown Los Angeles at around 4 p.m., when officers responded to “calls from a man with a gun committing multiple crimes in the 8th and Broadway neighborhood,” said the LAPD.
The suspect, who has not been named, had pointed a gun at another man’s face and pulled the trigger, but it did not fire, police said.
The suspect then moved onto the street and entered a business with three family members, including a 14-year-old, inside.
“The suspect pointed the gun at the group and fired at them. One of the bullets grazed the side of the 14-year-old’s head,” police said.
The teenager was taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive.
The gunman continued a few blocks down the street, where he attempted to hijack a woman standing outside his vehicle. When that didn’t work, police said, he got into an argument with a man on a bicycle, who saw the suspect reach inside his belt.
Nearby security officers reported LAPD agents chasing the suspect until he collided with an apartment building. At this point, police said they had established a perimeter and called in K9 and SWAT units for help.
Using surveillance footage from inside the building, officers located the suspect in a hallway. He appeared to be forcing a woman to go with him, they said.
“At that point, we knew we had a hostage situation,” police said. Los Angeles Police personnel guarding the windows of the building were also able to see “the suspect pointing a gun at the hostage’s head.”
Believing that the suspect’s actions were “already incredibly violent” and fearing he would kill the hostage, police said they sent the SWAT team to the building. The incident ended in a shootout involving an officer, police said.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, where police said they also recovered a gun.
The hostage was taken to a local hospital. Police have not commented on his condition.
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