Suspect Pronounced Deceased Following LAPD Officer-Involved Shooting
Bodycam Footage Released by LAPD
The Los Angeles Police Department's (LAPD) Force Investigation Division is actively investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) that took place in the Newton Division on January 3, 2023. The incident occurred around 5:25 p.m. at the 1100 block of E. 28th St in Los Angeles.
The incident began when LAPD Newton Patrol Division officers responded to a radio call reporting a male suspect, later identified as Oscar Sanchez, who had thrown an unknown metal object at a passing vehicle. The driver of the vehicle pulled over and was subsequently threatened by Sanchez with a knife.
Upon arrival, officers were directed by the victim to the rear of a nearby vacant or abandoned residence, where Sanchez was last seen. Officers located Sanchez on the second-story landing of the residence, holding what appeared to be a metal pipe.
Officers spent several minutes attempting to de-escalate the situation, ordering Sanchez to walk down the staircase. Sanchez refused to comply and retreated into the residence, closing the door behind him. An arrest team was then formed by the officers, who ascended to the top of the landing and pushed open the rear door.
Moments after entering, officers were confronted by Sanchez, who was holding a two-foot-long metal object with a three-inch spike protruding from one end. An Officer-Involved Shooting occurred at this point, along with the simultaneous deployment of a less-lethal munition. Sanchez was struck by gunfire and was transported by rescue ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 7:55 p.m.
No officers, victims, or bystanders were injured during the incident. The metal object held by Sanchez at the time of the shooting was recovered at the scene. Preliminary investigations suggest that the object was a stem from a motorized scooter with a sharpened implement attached to one end. A utility-type knife was also recovered at the scene.
LAPD’s specialized Force Investigation Division responded to the scene to interview witnesses and supervise the collection of evidence by the Forensic Science Division. The complete investigation will be reviewed by the Chief of Police, the Board of Police Commissioners, and the Office of the Inspector General to determine the thoroughness and accuracy of the investigation and whether the use of deadly force complied with LAPD’s policies and procedures.
Representatives from the California Department of Justice also responded to evaluate the circumstances but determined that the incident did not meet their criteria for further investigation.
Additional Images