El Monte: Jose Jimenez, 16
July 27, 2009 | 4:24
pm
Jose Jimenez, a 16-year-old white youth, was shot to death by a police officer at Meeker Avenue and Mildred Street in El Monte on July 24, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
The events that led to Jimenez's shooting began shortly before 4:30 a.m. when Baldwin Park officers followed a vehicle that had been reported stolen
The officers stopped the vehicle, and two people described as "male Hispanic adult passengers" got out and ran, according to the Sheriff's Department, which is investigating the shooting. The female driver remained and was taken into custody.
One of the officers, who was not identified, chased the two. He told sheriff's investigators that he opened fire when one of the suspects reached for a gun. Jimenez, who lived in La Puente, did not fire any shots; the officer fired four, investigators said.
A handgun was recovered at the scene where Jimenez died, authorities said. The second suspect remained at large Friday night. Coroner's officials listed Jimenez's race as Caucasian in their report.
The events that led to Jimenez's shooting began shortly before 4:30 a.m. when Baldwin Park officers followed a vehicle that had been reported stolen
The officers stopped the vehicle, and two people described as "male Hispanic adult passengers" got out and ran, according to the Sheriff's Department, which is investigating the shooting. The female driver remained and was taken into custody.
One of the officers, who was not identified, chased the two. He told sheriff's investigators that he opened fire when one of the suspects reached for a gun. Jimenez, who lived in La Puente, did not fire any shots; the officer fired four, investigators said.
A handgun was recovered at the scene where Jimenez died, authorities said. The second suspect remained at large Friday night. Coroner's officials listed Jimenez's race as Caucasian in their report.
-- Jean Merl and Anthony Pesce
Why would you open your statement with reference to a white male. What relevance does this have to your story. I'm a white male and I live 2 blocks from where this happened. The point should be, no matter what color you are, white, pink, green brown, etc. pull a gun on a cop and your most likely gonna get shot, as it should be. Bottom line!
Posted by: Oscar Thegrouch | July 27, 2009 at 05:17 PM
Frequent readers of the Homicide Report know that from its inception the report gave the race of victims as well as those suspected and/or convicted of the homicides.
The following is from the Homicide Report's FAQ:
The Homicide Report includes information on race or ethnicity in its weekly lists of homicide victims issued by the Los Angeles County coroner, as well as the name, gender and age of each victim, and the time, place and manner of death. A number of readers have asked why race is included. Some have criticized the practice.
Racial information was once routinely included in news stories about crimes, but in recent decades, newspapers and other media outlets stopped mentioning suspects' or victims' race or ethnicity because of public criticism. Newspapers came to embrace the idea that such information is irrelevant to the reporting of crimes, and may unfairly stigmatize racial groups.
The Homicide Report departs from this rule in the interest of presenting the most complete and accurate demographic picture of who is at risk of dying from homicide in Los Angeles County.
To read more about the decision to include race visit the FAQ section along the right rail of this blog.
Megan Garvey
Los Angeles Times
Posted by: Megan Garvey | July 27, 2009 at 05:53 PM