CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. – A 17-year-old female disarmed a deputy of his duty weapon inside the lobby of a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department station in the City of Industry and fatally shot herself with it earlier this week, officials said.
The encounter occurred Sunday, March 24, at about 7:30 p.m. when a Hispanic female began knocking on the lobby door of the station in the City of Industry, 150 Hudson Avenue, Law Officer previously reported.
When the deputy opened the door, the teen immediately lunged into the lobby and grabbed the deputy’s holstered firearm, resulting in a scuffle between the two.
As a result, investigators said the teen managed to disarm the deputy and she suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound from his weapon. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It was a couple of seconds,” said LASD Capt. Glenn Emery. “All the deputy did was open the door to help somebody. Unfortunately, what occurred, occurred.”
Now, surveillance video from the deadly shooting has been obtained by FOX 11 Los Angeles. The news outlet published the video, which shows the deputy walk and open the station’s door for the teen. Instantly, she grabbed the deputy’s firearm. The deputy immediately took action to try disarm the girl, but she placed the weapon to her head and pulled the trigger.
From the moment the deputy opens the door until the girl takes her own life is about 3 seconds.
“After it happened, everybody is like what the heck happened,” said Emery. “They did life saving measures, CPR, etc. Everybody is affected by it.”
The video can be viewed below. The news outlet freezes the frame prior to the girl pulling the trigger.
In the immediate aftermath of the encounter on Sunday, Lt. Art Spencer said, “We believe that this incident stems from a family disturbance call that deputies had responded to, prior to this incident at the station.”
The suicide-shooting remains under investigation, according to FOX 11.
“I feel it to my heart and soul,” said Emery. “I’ve been a deputy sheriff for 35 years. I’ve got a daughter. Been through situations myself. It’s tragic.”
