Hello, I'm Jennifer Forkish, public information director for the Los Angeles Police Department. This critical incident community briefing is intended to provide you with information about a critical incident that occurred in the city of Los Angeles. You're about to see relevant video footage and learn about other evidence and police procedures related to the case so you can have a better understanding of what occurred based on what we know right now. The LAPD conducts very thorough use of force investigations which typically require investigators to interview multiple witnesses, view numerous hours of video footage, and analyze a significant amount of forensic evidence. We are still at the very early stages of this investigation which can often take up to a year to complete and our understanding of the incident may change as this additional evidence is collected, analyzed and reviewed. We also do not draw any conclusions about whether the officers acted consistent with our policies in the law until all the facts are known and the investigation is complete. A word of caution, the images and information you are about to see may be disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised, especially for young children and sensitive viewers. >> Hello, I'm Lieutenant Bruce CS of the Los Angeles Police Department Media Relations Division. I'm going to provide you a brief overview of an officer involved shooting that occurred in Olympic Division on June 5th, 2025 at around 9:17 a.m. Olympic Patrol Division officers responded to a radio call for a possible assault with a deadly weapon. a suspect there. Now, at the intersection of Western Avenue and Washington Boulevard, the comments of the call described a male white transient pointing what appeared to be a saw-off shotgun. Here's the 911 call and corresponding radio broadcast. >> City 911 operator 521. >> Hi. Yeah, I have a transient um pointing what looks like a gun right here um heading towards the 10 West on um he's on Western and Washington right across the street from the McDonald's. He's pointing at cars. Uh it looks like a gun. >> It was a gun, right? Yeah. >> A description of him. >> Um white male with long hair. >> What color clothing? white now or >> No, he he was white. >> Yeah. >> What color? Sorry. What color clothing? >> He was wearing a black a black black shirt with jeans. Black shirt, blue jeans. Do you know what kind of weapon? What kind of gun? >> It's like a like a mini shotgun. >> Like a shotgun or something. >> Okay. Your name and phone number? My name is and my phone number is how do you spell your first name ma'am? Okay. Listen officer. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Olympic unit 8W suspect western in Washington 8w suspect western Washington. Western Washington across from McDonald's. Suspect male white long hair black shirt blue jeans pointing mini shotgun at vehicle code 3 in 1511 RD 2081. Upon arrival, the officers located the suspect at the northwest corner of 18th Street and Western Avenue. The suspect was holding an object which the officers believed to be a saw-off shotgun and simulating firing at the air unit. The suspect was I later identified as Roberto Gonzalez. As the officers exited their police vehicle, they immediately requested backup. The officers communicated with Gonzalez and gave him verbal commands to drop the gun, but he did not comply. A portion of this incident was captured on the responding officer's digital incar video. Most marked vehicles assigned to patrol have a camera mounted inside which activates when the emergency lights are turned on. The camera can also be manually activated. These digital incar cameras have a buffer of video without audio. Upon activation, the camera goes back 1 minute and starts recording. Here is digital incar video from the officers involved in this incident. said south right there. Northwest corner. Oh [ __ ] 97 west. [Music] Northbound Alask. >> A portion of this incident was captured on the responding officer's body warn video. Body warn video cameras are used by most officers assigned to field duties. They're worn at chest level and capture a general perspective within the line of sight from that angle. The angle of the camera prohibits viewers from seeing everything the officer saw and experienced. Upon activation, both audio and video will turn on. However, bodywn video cameras have a buffer of video without audio from their previous 2 minutes prior to activation. This feature is designed to capture incidents that occur suddenly where an officer doesn't immediately activate the camera. Here is body warn video from the officers involved in the incident. Drop it. >> Hey, drop it. >> Drop it. Hey, drop it. Drop it. I got it. It's a pole. Uh, no. No, no, no. Hey, drop it. [ __ ] drop it. Drop it. in the vicinity. >> Drop the gun. Drop the gun. >> Drop the gun. >> The officers continued to give verbal commands to Gonzalez to drop the gun. However, he did not comply. While still holding the object, which resembled a shot off shotgun, Gonzalez walked south away from the officers and stopped by the north wall of a building just west of Western. Suspect still not complying with officers. The man has not dropped the shotgun. Now in the walking towards the middle of the street on 18th, just west of Western, walking away from officers now towards the south side of the street on 18th. Gonzalez placed the object into his waistband and dawned a jacket. In an effort to stop Gonzalez's actions and deescalate the situation, the officers discharge four 40mm rounds at him. The 40mm lesslethal device fires a foam projectile round. The round strikes the person's body and is intended to cause pain. While there may be bruising, it is designed to distribute energy over a broad surface area and not penetrate the body. The primary target for this less lethal device is the naval or belt line. A portion of this incident was also captured on security footage from a nearby security camera. Hey 40. [Music] >> Hey, hit him with another 40. Hey, hit him with another 40. >> Hit him with another 40. >> The foam rounds did not cause Gonzalez to drop the object. He retrieved the object from his waistband, pointed it at officers, appeared to be firing, and simulated recoil, resulting in an officer involved shooting. >> 40. 40 is up, ready, loaded. >> 40 is up and ready. >> 40. Hey, >> dropping. Hey, get in the car. Hey, move up. Move up. >> Here is additional body warn video from the officers involved in this incident. Everybody You got a job. [Music] Gonzalez are struck by gunfire and taken into custody without further incident. Okay. The officers rendered medical aid to Gonzalez by applying a tourniquet until paramedics arrived. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded and transported Gonzalez to a local hospital to be treated for the gunshot wounds he sustained as a result of the officer involved shooting. While there, medical staff determined that his injury would require further treatment and admitted him into the hospital. Investigators recovered a black metal pipe with a handle resembling a saw-off shotgun at scene and booked it as evidence. Gonzalez was arrested and absentee booked for brandishing a replica firearm and a probation warrant violation. On June 9th, 2025, the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office filed the following charges against Gonzalez. two counts of brandishing an imitation firearm and one count of resisting a peace officer. Roberto Gonzalez is a 37year-old resident of Los Angeles. In the next several months, the LAPD will continue to investigate and analyze this incident. We will continue to interview any new witnesses who may come forward and complete any necessary forensic tests. After the investigation is complete, our critical incident review division will forward their findings to the chief of police who will make his recommendation to the civilian board of police commissioners. The board will evaluate the evidence to determine whether the officer's tactics, drawing and exhibiting a weapon and use of deadly force in this instance met the high standards expected of all LAPD officers. Additionally, the Office of the Inspector General will conduct a parallel and independent review of the investigation and will provide its recommendations to the board. If you would like more information on how the LAPD investigates all serious uses of force, visit LAPDonline.org where you can find the LAPD's use of force policy and procedures. Thank you for taking the time to view this critical incident community briefing.