Video shot February 16 at 5:50pm. Video and photo by Greggory Moore.
1:30am |Thursday, February 16 at approximately 5:30 p.m. a “workplace dispute” ended with one federal agent dead at the hands of another, while a third was hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.
“This situation began with what we can characterize as an incident of workplace violence involving two federal agents in their office space,” said Steve Martinez, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles FBI office.
Martinez said a third agent shot and killed the shooter “to prevent additional rounds being fired at the victim.”
The victim was taken to St. Mary Medical Center, where he was operated on for his wounds. He is said to be in stable condition.
All three of the individuals involved in the shootings (none of whom has been identified) were Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE, a division of the Department of Homeland Security) agents working in the Glenn M. Anderson Federal Building downtown. Numerous sources have reported that the shooting occurred on the seventh floor.
Martinez said that over 100 FBI agents and other personnel are investigating the crime scene. The FBI is the lead investigatory agency in this matter.
Police sources initially told media members that two officers had been killed, which led to several organizations — from the Associated Press to the Long Beach Post — to pass along the incorrect number, as no law-enforcement agency provided the media with official details of the incident until nearly five hours after it had occurred.
It is being widely reported that the dispute took place between a supervisor and a disgruntled employee who was to be the recipient of disciplinary action, but this is unconfirmed by law enforcement.
At the brief press conference held at approximately 10:10 p.m., LBPD Deputy Chief Richard Luna said the South Division received a 911 call at 5:54 p.m. reporting that shots had been fired inside the building, and that the LBPD was on the scene within two minutes. Presumably Luna misspoke, because police cars were seen speeding to the scene prior to 5:45 p.m.; and when I arrived on scene at 5:47 p.m., over a dozen marked and unmarked units were present, along with at least three fire units.
Citing the fact that the investigation is in the preliminary stages, the officials present declined to field questions from the media.
At 12:30 a.m. the barriers blocking off the westbound lanes of Ocean Boulevard were finally removed, but the cordon blocking off Magnolia Ave. remained in place.
