CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. – A young girl reportedly gained enough control of a deputy’s duty weapon during a struggle inside the lobby of a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department station and fatally shot herself with it, officials said.
On Sunday at about 7:30 p.m., the sheriff’s department said a juvenile Hispanic female began knocking on the lobby door of the station in the City of Industry, 150 Hudson Avenue, KTLA reported.
As law enforcement personnel initiated contact with the female, she lunged into the lobby and reached for one of the deputy’s holstered firearms, resulting in a scuffle between the teen girl and the deputy.
As a result of the encounter, investigators said the teen suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound from the deputy’s weapon and was declared dead at the scene, reported FOX 11 Los Angeles.
“We believe that this incident stems from a family disturbance call that deputies had responded to, prior to this incident at the station,” said LASD Lt. Art Spencer. “Again, we’re still in the early stages of the investigation.”
Spencer said no deputies were injured during the altercation and identification of the girl has not yet been released.
The investigation is ongoing and no further details were provided.
