Authorities with the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday identified the 32-year-old man accused of shooting three police officers during an investigation in Lincoln Heights Wednesday night.
The suspect, identified as Los Angeles resident and parolee Jonathan Magaña, was found dead after a barricade situation that lasted several hours.
The shooting took place sometime after 6 p.m. near the intersection of Mission Road and North Broadway. Officers were in the area searching for the 32-year-old when he ran inside a house and then barricaded himself in a nearby shed.
Authorities set up a perimeter and called in a police K-9 unit. After officers called out to Magaña and he refused to surrender, a chemical agent was deployed where he was holed up.
“Unfortunately, that suspect responded to the chemical agent by opening the shed and opening fire on the officers,” LAPD Commander Stacy Spell said at a news conference. “The officers then returned fire and as a result, three officers with the Metropolitan K-9 unit were struck.”
A neighbor in the area told KTLA that she heard anywhere from eight to 10 gunshots.
Officials put out a citywide tactical alert and a SWAT team was brought in after an LAPD robot made entry into the house and another round of tear gas was used.
“As they conducted a search of that area, they located the suspect, who was at that time non-responsive,” Cmdr. Spell said.
Paramedics with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene and declared the 32-year-old parolee dead at the scene.
The three officers were taken to the hospital in stable condition, all suffering from various gunshot wounds. They are now recovering. No other injuries were reported.
On Thursday, KTLA learned that Magaña had a long criminal record, including charges of battery on a police officer and illegal possession of a firearm. He was last arrested in October and released a day later. The 32-year-old had prior convictions for felony robbery and selling methamphetamines as well.
“A very deadly situation. We’re grateful residents were not injured as part of this and we’re grateful the officers are going to be okay,” LAPD Assistant Chief Alfred Labrada said.
Late Thursday afternoon, other officers with the department’s K-9 unit were at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center to visit their wounded colleagues and show support.
The coroner has not yet released a cause of death for Magaña. It is unclear if he was shot by officers, took his own life or died from another cause.