By Hunter Lee
San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif.
INDUSTRY, Calif. — A girl died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an altercation with deputies, in which she grabbed a deputy’s gun, at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Industry Station on Sunday evening, March 24, an LASD investigator said. A broadcast report said the girl was 17 years old.
It wasn’t immediately known if the shooting could have been accidental or was intentional, and the investigation was continuing late Sunday.
Around 7:40 p.m., a female walked into the lobby of the station at 150 Hudson Avenue and, for reasons not immediately clear on Sunday, engaged in a struggle, according to Deputy Graciela Medrano, a spokesperson for the department.
“There was an altercation and a critical incident occurred. This was not a deputy-involved shooting incident,” said an LASD statement.
In video aired on KTLA, Sheriff’s homicide bureau Lt. Art Spencer said the situation began when deputies encountered the female, who was knocking on the front door of the lobby. Deputies approached her and “an altercation ensued.”
“It is alleged the female reached toward the deputy’s firearm and retrieved the firearm from the deputy’s holster,” Spencer said. “During the altercation, it is alleged that the female suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound with what we believe to be the deputy’s firearm.”
“We believe that this incident stems from a family disturbance call that deputies had responded to, prior to this incident occurring at the station,” Spencer said. “The deputies are OK. It is an unfortunate situation for everyone involved.”
Information on the female was not immediately available from authorities, except Spencer said she was a female juvenile. ABC7 reported she was 17 years old.
No shots were fired by deputies and no other injuries were reported.
The lobby at the station, near Hacienda and Valley boulevards, was closed Sunday evening while authorities continued their investigation, though the business and emergency service phone lines were still operational. The station serves areas including Industry, La Puente, La Habra Heights, Valinda , East and West Valinda, Bassett/ North Whittier and Hacienda Heights.
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