The suspect involved in what started as a non-injury shootout with Long Beach police SWAT officers in Cerritos on Friday was found dead hours after the standoff began.
Police entered the residence and found the suspect, identified by the coroner today as Christopher Warner, 33, of Cerritos, dead with a gunshot wound to his upper torso, according to LBPD Sgt. Brad Johnson.
Warner, who was armed with an assault rifle, fired at police from two separate locations within the residence, and they returned fire, according to Johnson. No officers were injured.
Officers were attempting to serve a narcotics warrant at the residence near Carmenita Road and 183rd Street, in the 18000 block of Alexander Avenue, at 4:45AM.
The officers surrounded the home, while some evacuations were ordered in the area, and streets near the scene were closed. Nearby Cerritos Elementary School remained open, but access was restricted to the east side of the campus via Marquardt Avenue, a sheriff’s lieutenant said.
Tear gas was eventually fired into the home and the suspect’s mother and uncle left the residence, and were detained by officers, according to police.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Special Enforcement Bureau was called and assisted Long Beach SWAT officers with coordinating evacuations.
SWAT officers tried to communicate with the suspect multiple times before entering the residence, according to LBPD.
The decision whether the cause of Warner’s death was self-inflicted or whether he was killed during the shootout is pending further investigation, said Dietz.
The Police Department thoroughly reviews all use of force incidents through a rigorous multi-step process that evaluates legal, policy, tactical, and equipment issues. Additionally, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting, as they do with all officer involved shootings that occur in Los Angeles County that result in injury or death.
The Long Beach Homicide Detail investigates all officer involved shootings. This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call Long Beach homicide Detectives at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the “P3 Tips” app to your smart phone (available at the Apple App store and Google Play), or visiting the link here.
City News Service contributed to this report.
PREVIOUSLY: LBPD SWAT Officers Involved in Non-Injury Shootout in Ongoing Incident in Cerritos
2/17/17 at 11:43AM | Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) SWAT officers were involved in a non-injury shootout with a suspect during a drug investigation in Cerritos today.
Officers were trying to arrest the man, who was barricaded in a residence, when they were shot at from inside the location. A SWAT officer returned fire.
SWAT was called to serve a search warrant because the narcotics investigation led them to believe the suspect was possibly armed and dangerous.
The incident began at about 4:45AM, as the SWAT officers were preparing to serve the warrant at the residence near Carmenita Road and 183rd Street, according to Long Beach police Sgt. Brad Johnson.
Six residents and 20 people were evacuated from the area, according to Johnson, while streets near the scene were closed to traffic. The location has been surrounded by SWAT personnel, said Johnson.
A nearby school, Cerritos Elementary School, remained open, but access was limited to the east side of the campus.
Northbound Carmenita from the 91 freeway is shut down, as well as the off ramp from the 91 freeway to northbound Carmenita.
The incident is active and ongoing. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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