Christianne McCormick
Canyon News
LOS ANGELES —The Los Angeles Police Department released body-worn camera footage of an officer shooting a carjacking suspect who was armed with a machete on Thursday, January 9.
The series of events started on Nov. 25 when Nathaniel Pinnock, 22, robbed an auto-parts store located on the 1300 block of Highland and Fountain at knifepoint. Police officers Nicolas Padilla and Youssef Brady arrived at the scene to apprehend Pinnock. They ordered the suspect to put down his weapon which he failed to do. Pinnock carjacked a vehicle in a nearby drive-thru, forcing the driver out, and fled the scene.
A short pursuit commenced and ended when Pinnock collided with two police vehicles at Sunset and McCadden. He got out of the vehicle and ran towards the eastbound direction of Sunset Boulevard, where both Padilla and Brady chased after him. One of the officers tripped and fell to the ground during the foot pursuit.
According to the footage released, Pinnock hovered over the police officer with the machete in hand and was shot several gunshots at Pinnock.
According to the video, officers used multiple non-lethal methods to subdue Pinnock throughout the ordeal. First a Taser was used and then bean bags. When both attempts failed to deter the suspect, authorities began to fire gunshots at him. The suspect was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The machete Pinnock had on him was recovered at the scene and was counted as evidence.
LAPD Public Information Director Josh Rubenstein told reporters the department is still at the “very early stages of this investigation, which can often take up to a year to complete.”