Ronald Boone, 20

Ronald Boone, a 20-year-old black man, was shot by a police officer at the intersection of Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard in the Hyde Park area at approximately  7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28, and later died at a local hospital. According to police, Boone and a 17-year-old suspect made an illegal firearm purchase from an undercover officer from LAPD's 77th Street narcotics unit. After the transaction, uniformed officers were called in. The younger man was arrested, but Boone fled on foot to a nearby parking lot, where he confronted one the undercover officer, police say. The officer shot Boone in the left leg when the young man attempted to pull a handgun, police said. The LAPD's Force Investigation Division is investigating.

Comments

[Hoodteacher]

Something is missing in this report. If he died at of a leg wound, he must of bled to death, meaning he was not "treated at the scene." Or the report is missing a second part to the shooting. It doesn't make sense that he would die from a leg shot. Criminal or not, this shooting doesn't add up.

[A]

Anyone have info on his injuries that led him to bleed out from the leg wound? I'm guess arterial bleed and no one put direct pressure?

[AVOICE]

YEAH RIGHT!!!
Died of a leg wound, that was treated on site. ?????
Come on at least make the story believeable LA Police!!!!

TELL THE TRUTH !!!!!!! BLACK PEOPLE DO READ!!!!!!!!!

[J B]

Some people just dont think, do you know how fast someone can bleed to death? Really Fast................

[DA THERAPIST]

I agree , someting is definitely missing from the report....The glass shield still continues to exist. Any excuse to shoot & kill another brother, of course the POLICE will say it was self defense as opposed to MURDER!!!! Could it be that he was ONLY reported to have been shot in the leg? I just don't see how u can only die from a leg wound either. This vicious cycle continues, it's a damn shame.

[Jay]

Please can someone give me a clear understanding about this case. I heard about this a day after it happen (1/28). Why is it just posted 2/3. With any other homicide its posted right-a-way. It is funny how the police can get away with things like. You are the law, meaning you should be a leader. But no, all you law enforcement does is twist the true. Before you were on the other side you were different. You are no better than the gangbangers (you kill), the drug addict (you plant it on the ones you can't find a reason for pulling over), the bank robbers (you steal it), Prostitutes (sexually harass and get away with it), and etc. I can't feel anything when a police lose their live (and I know this might be wrong but....) maybe its because they've done so much wrong to the people. YOU ARE THE LAW. GO BACK AND BRUSH-UP ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE THE LAW!!!!!!!!! And this is FREEDOM OF SPEECH right?

[lori]

I am writing with regard to the Ronald Boone shooting. This was a case of mistaken identity and we need to do something about this. WE NEED COMMUNITY ACTION. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SEND YOUR BLOGS. AS YOU READ THIS ARTICLE THE KEY WORD IS THOUGHT. THE OFFICER THOUGHT HE HAD A WEAPON. WAS A WEAPON FOUND AT THE SCENE? NO. AND DID THE SPOKES PERSON FOR THE LAPD MENTION THAT NO WEAPON WAS FOUND AT THE SCENE ? NO

PLEASE COMMUNITY LET'S COME TOGETHER AND BRING ACTION UPON THIS MATTER.

PLEASE

[Derrick]

Yes, you can die from a leg wound. Maybe he lost a large amount of blood and unfortunately he could not be saved. Unless you are a doctor, how can you criticize. What I find sad is he was involved in the illegal sale of a firearm. We all know there are enough guns and violence in the community.

[Felicia]

First and foremost, I'm sorry that a family has lost a child.

At the same time, I'm exhausted at the idea of people so outraged by police "misconduct". The police did not go to this young man's job and kill him dead. Neither did they walk onto a college campus and kill him dead. He was a criminal committing a crime. Does that excuse the fact that he's dead...absolutely not, but at some point our community has to understand that bad things happen when you're in the act of doing wrong.

Our community has too many built-in excuses. We've seen the end result of excuses...dead young people

[lori]

IF ANYONE NOTICES, THE ARTICLE HAS BEEN CHANGED. THE ARTICLE FROM 01/04 WAS WORDED DIFFERENTLY THAN THE ARTICLE THAT IS POSTED HERE. PLS. SEE THE 01/04 ARTICLE AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN.

THIS WAS AN INNOCENT YOUNG MAN AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS

[Mark]

Anyone running from the police is taking an inherint risk they might get shot.

If he had stayed where he was, he would have been handcuffed on the spot and would be alive today.

[Daledo]

It is awful that this young man lost his life. My sincere condolences go out to his people. He was young and if the reports are true made a series of unfortunate decisions. I can understand the frustration from the community but....

You can easily bleed to death within two minutes if the femoral artery in the upper leg is severed, even with first aid. Look it up.

It takes 7 posts before somebody mentions this kid was involved in a firearm sale (Felony)? This isn't the type of case that is usually a set up. There were quite a few officers involved, from different departments- not the usual scenario for a cover-up.

Finally, many many many posts on the homicide blog fault the police for not getting guns out of the community, or when an officer is involved in a fatal shooting critics demand to know why the officer didn't aim for a non-fatal location. When a situation occurs like this one, critics instantly fault the police anyway. It is hard to see things from the other side, but if the cop honestly thought he had a gun (why wouldn't he IF he had just been involved in an illegal firearm sale), he had to shoot. It's what he/she is trained to do. And IF the facts are what were reported, it was the right thing to do. I

I understand the frustration that comes with only being able to hear one side of the story. I also understand that there is a history of distrust, but until more details emerge I find it difficult to read the accusations against officers who were trying to prevent the illegal sale of firearms, which contributes to so many of these victims being on this blog in the first place.

We want guns out of the community. But then people attack the cops for trying to stop an illegal firearm sale?

Finally and maybe worst of all; please remember that the 17-year old in the story who didn't resist is still alive. I honestly wish his friend would have CHOSE to make the same decision.

[O'Dawg]

To Jay:

Jill Leovy, creator of this blog is not affiliated with the LAPD, LASD and other agencies. Most of the information that she gathers comes from Coroner reports which may not be immediately available due to the nature of the case.

Part of the reason for this blog is that many of these cases would never have made it to print, TV or radio, so here it is.

If anyone is interested in another source, there is the LAPD Newsroom at httpd://www.lapdonline.org. This case is listed at http://www.lapdonline.org/newsroom/news_view/37436

[... and the facts are ...]

... this occurred less than a month ago when an officer "thought" a man had a gun on sawtelle blvd., only to find out after fatally wounding him that the man was unarmed. in both instances, why didn't the officer use a taser to subdue as opposed to firing a fatal shot? because tasers, reasonable doubt and other "think before you react" mentalities are not what the police are taught in the academy when faced with brown and black confrontation.
i keep reminding our young blacks and browns that the prisons going up all over the country are being built for them; the guns being sold in our neighborhoods were meant to be used by them, on them (the crime statistics are no accident as it is the same within every city … coincidence? hardly); the weed, wet, blunts and alcohol being sold within their communities in buildings that could be housing after-school programs and other recreational outlets, are explicitly catering for them, resulting in the dumb down syndrome coupled with the big 3 music companies that produce lax and disruptive behaviors that leads to the erroneous belief that the laws weren't written for them.
i suggest parents get a clue and tell your children the truth about life ~ like it is because the growing numbers of dead are evident that there is a target on your life. so please keep yourself out of the line of fire by your own actions.
if you haven't realized any of this yet ... WAKE UP!!!!

[tc]

I basically have one question, if supposedly the undercovers sold him the gun, wouldn't the gun be a dummy? So if he was supposedly pulling it out, why wouldn't they just rush him or taze him or something? Not only that, why was no gun found, not the one he supposedly bought from them or the one he was supposedly pulling out? My bad, three questions, but seriously, this enquiring mind really wants to know!

[O'Dawg]

Tc:

According to the statement here and on the LAPD website, Boone and the unnamed 17-year old were SELLING guns, not BUYING. It stands to reason that they may have had more than one gun as Boone was alleged to have.

On the subject of police training, police are taught to "think before you react", but I'm sure they're also taught, "Getting killed is not a job requirement."

[Gina Johnson]

Opinions, public forum. Now I can appreciate that everyone is entitled to their opinion I ask this question, if this were your child would you be so quick to judge or defend? The LAPD has such a sterling reputation in matters like this, right? Wrong? People of LA wake up and research and think before you speak so highly of those who are supposedly there to protect and serve our community. Can we please keep in mind here that this family has suffered a loss, I know because this young man is my Nephew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I truly believe this family deserves the right to question any and all aspects of this case because it does not add up. My Nephew allegedly participated in an illegal act, and allegedly confronted police officers, each article has a different spin so I am paraphrasing, but my nephew was shot in the back of his leg and was supposedly treated at the scene and transported, This does not flow correctly for me and I guess that’s because I am not an expert, while posting on this blog please be careful how you speak especially if your not an expert, I ask that we let this family grieve and get the facts so that there can be some closure and they can begin to heal. We do not need to crucify this young man and daily make this family relive the tragedy of their loss, I ask for peace for them, love and understanding and respect above all things.

[tom]

First of all you can definately die from being shot in the leg. If the bullet severed the main artery, you have only a few minutes before you bleed to death. Also the bullet could have "tumbled" by entering the leg or hip and then "tumbling" or making its way through the torso taking out vital organs. This is what assault weapons are designed to do. Quit blaming police.

[Jay]

To O'Dawg,

Thanks for that information!

It would really be nice if the LAPD and LASD can read this.

[miss.nike]

I am sorry for the family who lost their son. I know it is hard but it will get better. You have my deepest sympathy…….miss.nike

[T]

Someone please correct me if I am in error but didn't a footbal player recently die due to a gun shot wound to the leg? Also, the article says Mr. Boone died at a local hospital. And where's the 17 yr old who was with him? I bet he can clear this up.

[nia]

first, if he got shot in his femoral artery ,which is similar to your jugular vein, but it's in yoyr leg, then, yes, he would die, within, a few minutes, and pressure to this wound would not matter...it is a MAJOR ARTERY, and once it's hit, that's it....this is coming from, a medical billing expeditor...this is an unfortuante incident, and, I cant help but to wonder, what , made this cop, think, he was reaching for a weapon? how you know, he wasnt going for his ID? People, we need UNITY, to fight off ,all this HYPOCRISY, that is in this SO CALLED JUDICIAL SYSTEM, THE U.S HAS... As long as, there is ,a few bad apples in our society, we will never be heard...IT STARTS WITH US!!!! MY CODOLENCES TO THIS MAN'S FAMILY!!! HE, IS SOMEBODY'S SON, BROTHER, MAYBE FATHER ,COUSIN, ETC... AND I'M SURE YOU WILL BE MISSED!!!!!

[Mark]

Shouldn't the black communities be rejoicing that a man involved with illegal weapons was taken off the streets?

I wonder who this individual planning on robbing or shooting?

Again, the reaction of some of the people on this blog indicates that they would rather tolerate vermin that is shattering the lives of the people who live and work in those communities, than taking the steps to regain control.

[Roc boi]

I’m a student at Crenshaw high school and I’m 16 years old. I don’t think anybody could die from a leg wound. I think there is more to the story that the cops are not telling us. Did the cop fire more than one shot or did cop just let Ronald bleed to death?

[steve fox]

I’m a student at Crenshaw high school. I don’t agree with the police because everything in the story has “police said” through it. Police said a lot of things but, how do we know? The police said that Ronald pulled the gun on the officer and he had no choice but to shoot him. I believe that the police officer shot him intentionally while Ronald tried to run. I don’t trust the police!!

[3rd ave]

My name is Corey and I go to Crenshaw high. I believe there is more to the story. The police will tell their side and leave pieces of the story out. If you get shot in the leg and they treat your wound on the scene, how can you die nine hours later?
My people, that’s retarted! I know some one that got shot in the head and leg and is still alive.

[sk8ter]

I think the cop should have been 100 percent sure if Ronald had a gun or not because if Ronald didn’t have a gun the cop killed an innocent person.

[scooby loc]

I am a young man and I go to Crenshaw high school. If Ronald was selling guns, he shouldn’t have been selling guns to people he doesn’t know. I don’t think that the Ronald died because he got shot in the leg. I think something else happened. I don’t know, so I cant say much. I really want to know what happened? I think there are many sides of this story and we’re only hearing one.

[Mark]

And still people are missing the point ..... he was involved with an illegal weapons transaction, he ran and did not stop as ordered. He put huimself, the officer and the community at great risk.

Some of you are bringing speculations on what happened and why he died to the nth level.

Unless you were on the scene, reported what you saw to the police that was there, then all you are doing is repeating 2nd and 3rd hand info.

And unless any of you have access to his medical records, stop saying "he should have lived", as simply you have absolutely no factual information on how he died. The Coroners report will be available for everyone to see, and then you can discuss the hows and why's.

[O'Dawg]

To Crenshaw High students:

If you're really interested in how someone can die from a leg wound, there is a nursing shortage which YOU can fill. As part of the training, you will learn about the role veins and arteries play in transporting blood througout the body. A severed carotid (neck), vena cava (stomach) or femoral (leg) may bring quick death, but a nick may weaken the arterial wall enough to cause it to burst hours, days or years later. Stay awake in biology class, or better yet, sign up for the nursing program at your local community college!!!

[Diana]

The same thing happened to that football player in Florida, Sean Taylor. The burglars shot him in the leg it was a major artery, and he died. A sad, senseless act for selfish fools trying to take what isn't theirs. I read some of the shooting deaths in this Blog, and I wonder how it is that the police were quick to shoot a man buying a gun. Yet, did not open fire immediately on this sniper who killed three of his family members, to end result in an officer being shot and killed.Police are inconsistent with the level of aggression per situation. There should be a uniformed, documented and trained response by officers to levels of dangerous gun activity and the level of aggression.

[My Two Cents]

I am an ER nurse let me assure you there are many possible reasons why someone would die from a leg wound 9 hours later. I have treated more gun shots and stabbings than I can count, but it is far a matter of chance of what is "hit". They all vary and some walk away and some do not. IF it weren’t for the ER’s none of them would make it so trust everything was done and if the doctors were able to save him 9 hours then they were working, but lost the fight.

I have worked for a period of time as a hospice nurse in these areas. I am a white nurse so I generally looked out of place, but I believed in what I was doing. Now I am older and what this world is becoming bothers me. Why are some of you questioning the police and inventing conspiracies instead of rejoicing, as I, another gun toting, drug dealing thug is off the streets and not costing my tax dollars to keep him in prison!

I do not have a prejudice bone in my body, but these young black men scare me. I move out of my home when too many of them move too close by. There are amazing black men in history, but these young black men are tarnishing that history. Afraid of the police? I am not afraid of the police. I do not violate laws, I do not carry guns, I do not give them reasons to “harass me”! They are protecting society from them! That is the conspiracy!!!!

Black women are some of the strongest women I have met in my life, but they do not seem to have figured out how to raise their sons. My sons are doctors and lawyers and my daughters are too! They were born into this world just the same as this young man! It is not about RACE it is about CHOICES! I do not feel sorry for these women who have lost their sons! They allowed their sons to become these vile men!

Rejoice another thug is dead because it makes way for the fine young black men and women to make their way. One less thug to procreate other thugs and one less thug to take the life of our future history!!!!!!!

[civil But Ghetto in the Bay Area]

to most of the C.H.School sudents who posted on this blog ... it is very posible to die of a leg wound because i had a friend who was shot in the azz with a .22 and he died from it ....

and to the police if you sold this kid the gun you knew it did not have bullets in it so there was no way you should have used deadly force in ths situation........

to the nurse that is scared of the black youth , if you scared go to church........

R.I.P. for all the fall'n youths of the struggle

[Mark]

"civil But Ghetto in the Bay Area"......If the deceased hadn't been making a threatening move, he would have lived. He made his choice, and unfortunately for him, it was his last.

As for saying to "My Two Cents" about going to church if shes scared, let me clue you in on something...

If you look like a thug, act like a thug and speak like a thug, then undoubtedly, you're a thug. And thugs are evil people.

[BEHIND ENEMY LINES]

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE OUTCOME WILL BE IF AN UNDECOVER OFFICER IS OUT THERE SELLING GUNS TO GANG MEMEBRS AND ON CRENSHAW AND SLAUSON
THATS WHATS SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN A BLACK BEING KILLED.I AM 38 YEARS OLD AND A VET ON THESE
STREETS I DONT MOVE AROUND LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING BECAUSE HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED.SO WITH THAT SAID THESE OFFICERS HAVE NO FEELINGS FOR US BLACKS OR MEXICANS REGARDLESS OF YOUR STATUS IN SOCIETY.I HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR THE MEXICANS,THE POLICE AND MY OWN KIND.SO IF YOU COME TO MY HOOD LOOKING FOR PREY YOU MIGHT BECOME A VICTIM AND IF YOU DONT GET GOT ONE OF YOUR HOMIES OR HOMEGIRLS WILL GET GOT.YOU DONT REALIZE HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO LIVE UNTIL YOU ARE LAID OUT TRYING TO CATCH YOUR LAST BREATH WITH YOUR LUNGS FEELING UP WITH BLOOD AND TELLING GOD JUST LET YOU LIVE,GOD HAS HIS HANDS FULL JUST LIKE OUR PRISON SYSTEMS.MY ADVISE TO YOU IS TO GO TO SCHOOL AND STAY AWAY FROM THOSE THAT ARE HEADED DOWN ONE OF THOSE PATHS.WHEN YOU GOT SOMEBODY COMING TO TAKE A LIFE THE MISSION IS SET IN STONE.YOU READ EVERY BLOG HERE AND YOU DO THE MATH MIGHT HAVE BEEN 2 OR 3 WHITE BOYS AND THE REST BLACKS AND MEXICANS.THE POLICE DONT WANT TO PROTECT YOU THEY ARE CONTENT
WITH US KILLING EACH OTHER KEEPS THERE OVERTIME
PAY ROLLING

[MW]

People, get a clue. 1.) you can easily die from being shot in the leg. (2.) There's no conspiracy here...the criminal threatened police officers...a lot of them. Not very smart to do in Los Angeles, now is it? Of course he got shot. It's tragic he died, but there's one less gun-toting loser on the streets that can't rob or kill you now. You should be happy. Cops don't have time to stop and think..."hmm, I'm going to get my taser out while he shoots at me with his deadly, illegal firearm." You're just lucky so far some gang-banger hasn't killed you yet...move out of LA.

[lori g]

REST IN PEACE RONALD EULICE BOONE AS YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT

WE LOVE YOU

LORI G$