By City News Service
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A suspect who reached for his waistband during a fight with two sheriff's deputies and was fatally wounded was identified tonight by the coroner's office as 29-year-old Terry Laffitte of Los Angeles.
Laffitte may have been associated with members of a local street gang, a sheriff's official said.
The deputy-involved shooting took place at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday in the 6100 block of Miramonte Boulevard, near Gage Avenue, in an unincorporated area between South Los Angeles and Huntington Park, Sgt. Harry Drucker of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau said.
"Deputies from the Century Station saw a guy on a bike driving erratically,'' Drucker said. "Then he turned up a driveway, his driveway, and he had a gun.''
Sheriff's officials said the bicycle did not have a headlight or taillight, and the suspect appeared to be intoxicated when they tried to stop him.
"The deputies followed the suspect on foot, and when they attempted to contact him the suspect punched one of the deputies in the face,'' Capt. Mike Parker said."The suspect then charged the deputies, knocking himself and the deputies to the ground.''
Parker said the suspect's family members came out of the house and began yelling and kicking at deputies while the struggle continued.
"During the altercation, the suspect produced a handgun which he had secreted on his person,'' Parker said. "The deputies each fired one time, striking and killing the suspect.''
A handgun was recovered at the scene, Parker said. No deputies were injured.
"After officials with the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office arrived, a second handgun was found under the body of the suspect when he was moved,'' Parker said."According to Century sheriff's station gang detectives, several of the individuals who reside at that location and who came to the aid of the suspect are members of a local street gang.''
An investigation was continuing.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.