Norwalk: Raul Castillo Razo, 15

Raul Castillo Razo, a 15-year-old Latino, was shot and killed by Los Angeles police officers on Monday, April 27, in the 11300 block of Firestone Boulevard in Norwalk, according to authorities.

The officers, identified by the LAPD as Erick Hernandez and Orlando Diaz, were parked in a Stater Brothers lot when they saw Raul "chasing someone with a gun and firing shots," according to a police news release.

Hernandez and Diaz, who are part of a Criminal Surveillance Team, got out of their car and ordered Raul to stop, the statement said. At that time, he turned the gun on the officers, said Ed Winter, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

The officers were not wounded in the shooting and the individual that officers said Raul was firing at left the area and was not identified, authorities said. Police recovered a .45 caliber handgun allegedly used by Raul at the scene.

Hernandez has been an LAPD officer for more than three years and Diaz is a ten-year veteran. The shooting is under investigation by the LAPD Force Investigation Division and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

-- Anthony Pesce

 

Comments

[Tony]

Well it's a good thing they got him before he killed someone, especially an innocent bystander. Running around shooting, how reckless. That boy had no business having a gun. I think LA has more guns than books. Guns are only as dumb as the person holding it.

[syscom3]

Good job by the officers!

[John Padilla]

oh great ... that just is so typical of cops ... instead of shooting to wound .. or warning shots .. they are so trained into military tactics .. they shoot to kill ... they aim for the chest area .... for maximum impact when they aim their target sites ... the story didnt say how many times this child was shot .. but Im sure he wasnt trained in military fashion like the cops ..

Yes, the young boy should have not pointed a weapon at the cops but I dont think they should have killed him .. their training ... is so militant based its scary.... the idea that it was Hispanic cops is even more repulsive ...

instead of serve and protect .. the cop cars should have We aim to kill.

[Alejandroe84]

From the last comment, I beg to differ.

First, and foremost, yes, children should not be running recklessly with a gun, which was probably, and highly likely stolen.But to state that "it's a good thing they got him before he killed someone" is very unruly, and selfish.

Stating such comments as those, are not going to solve the issue at hands with gun laws, and gang deterioration. Congress, and the US government should be dealing with this issue at hand.

Second, to have a young boy shot and killed, is reckless, no matter how immature, and endangering you are. I suspect that there are many more ways to deal with a young kid, with a gun, and one of them is NOT firing shots. Don't get it twisted, there are signs of endangerment on both sides, the police, and the suspect.

Finally, this is all to familiar and and dry to say the least, and I believe, that these homicides, especially, with the future generation, will never ever change, unless, the US government weeds out the perpetrators in the system, in which your government holds...

[crime victim]

John,

Are you serious? The police should shoot to wound? Where exactly are you living? As a victim of a crime I don't want the police to shoot to wound a big bad man walking or running down the street shooting a gun. This man had no right to be running down the street shooting a gun not knowing where the bullets were going to end up. He is dead because he was stupid. I'm sure if he had been at home or may be not running down the street with a gun shooting he might be alive today. I'm glad that the police shoot now and asked questions later. Why is it that those that want the police to shoot to wound or to shoot warning shots, where exactly should the police shoot a warring shot? Up in the air so that the bullet comes back down and hits some innocent person? Or may be into the back ground of where the idiot was running from? And then hope and pray that some kid isn't walking out of his house just as the bullet goes flying by? Or better yet may be at the ground? Where the bullet could shoot back up and hit some other innocent person. Razo is dead because he was a waste of a human being. I don’t' care what age he was or what is back ground was. What he did that night put a lot of people's lives on the line. Why didn't he just walk away? Why didn't he just shoot one warring shot? Thank you cops for doing your job and stopping some idiot from killing someone and taking the life of an innocent person. Thank you cops for stopping something worst from happening and thank you cops for taking one more criminal off the street.

[syscom3]

Alejandroe84 .... someone with a gun .... shooting it .... bullets going through walls .... putting the community at extreme risk .....

I'd say it was a good idea at ending Mr. Razo's crime escapade before he killed anyone else. BTW, what exactly are the police supposed to do when someone is heel bent on killing someone and is showing a complete disregard for the safety of that neighborhood? Should the officers sing koom-bah-yah and call in a counselor?

[bearson bear]

why is it that there are mexicans and blacks being shot?
is this gang relatated? hate to live in The LA area.

just a comment.
Albuquerque, New Mexico

[Jessus]

The boy was not going to shoot to wound the other kid that ran off. The cops did the right thing. The boy turned the gun on the cops what do u expect the reaction to be. This kid was a trouble maker and from a well known la gang. He has a Long history of gang violnc. It is sad he was only 15 or so but he was doing the crime og a grown up.