Authorities are waiting to book a suspect who is currently hospitalized after he was shot in West Long Beach Saturday night by police responding to a call of loitering involving a group of up to 30 people who were also drinking in public, authorities said.
Bellflower resident Ronald Clark, 27, was also found to have a felony armed and dangerous warrant for his arrest and is on active parole for robbery, according to a release from the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) sent out Thursday evening.
Clark will be booked once he is released from the hospital, authorities stated.
The incident took place on Saturday, July 22 when police responded to the loitering call at about 8:21PM in the 2100 block of West Spring Street.
Arriving officers noticed about 20 to 30 people with open alcoholic beverage containers near them.
While police were investigating the group, the suspect, who was part of the group, fled on foot and ignored verbal commands to stop as he ran to an occupied parked vehicle and attempted to enter the front passenger door, authorities stated.
Not knowing the relationship between the fleeing suspect and the parked vehicle’s occupants, officers deployed a taser to try to stop him from entering the vehicle, officials went on to say.
The taser, however, did not work and officers then observed the suspect reaching toward his waist-band.
“The officers gave multiple lawful commands for the suspect to put his hands in the air and stop reaching towards his waistband, however, the suspect continued to ignore the orders,” the release stated. “Fearing the suspect was retrieving a weapon, an officer involved shooting occurred.”
The suspect was struck in his lower body by gunfire and taken into custody by the officers. Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) personnel responded as well, treating him and transporting him to a local hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
A weapon was not recovered at the scene, however, police did find drugs, authorities stated.
According to the release, the officers involved in the incident were not equipped with their body worn cameras during their shift due to technical issues experienced that day with the Body Worn Camera pilot program. However, detectives were able to recover video of the incident that was discovered at a nearby location.
As is standard protocol, this officer-involved shooting is being investigated by the LBPD’s Homicide Detail and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Homicide Detail at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 1 (800) 222-TIPS (8477).
{FG_GEOMAP [33.8117009,-118.21992720000003] FG_GEOMAP}