The officer involved in the below incident has been identified as Police Officer II Michael Romero, Serial No. 38768 assigned to Hollenbeck Area Patrol.
**The following information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**
Los Angeles: Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Force Investigation Division is investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) that occurred in Hollenbeck Division.
On July 20, 2021 around 11:35 p.m., LAPD Hollenbeck Patrol Division officers responded to a radio call of a “man with a knife” in the 300 block of West Avenue 26. When the officers arrived they found the suspect, later identified as 52-year-old Edward Joseph Rubio, seated on a living room couch inside an apartment. Rubio was told by the officers to come out of the apartment, Rubio stood up and charged at the officers. The officers moved to a position in the hallway of the apartment complex and again called Rubio out from the apartment. Rubio came out from the apartment armed with a large kitchen knife and charged the officers. One officer deployed a TASER and one officer was involved in an officer-involved shooting.
Rubio was struck by the TASER darts and gunfire. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded and transported Rubio to a local hospital, where he received medical treatment.
The knife Rubio was in possession of was recovered at the scene.
No officers were injured during the incident.
LAPD’s specialized Force Investigation Division responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses and supervised the collection of evidence by the Forensic Science Division. A representative the Office of the Inspector General responded and monitored the scene investigation.
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. Additionally, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office who responded to the scene will review the subsequent FID investigation; evidence collected and witness statements to determine if the force used by the officer was reasonable.
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