Shooting of school police officer called a hoax by authorities [Updated]
A Los Angeles school police officer who was wounded last week in a shooting that prompted authorities to shut down a large swath of Woodland Hills concocted a story that he was the victim of the shooting, authorities said Thursday night.
The startling revelation came at a hastily called news conference by Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck, who said detectives became suspicious about the officer's story as they investigated the case.
Police earlier had said that Los Angeles Unified School District Officer Jeff Stenroos was shot in the chest after he was confronted by a man Jan. 19 as he was attempting to break into vehicles in Woodland Hills, near the eastern boundary of the El Camino Real High School campus.
The incident generated a massive police response that inconvenienced thousands of people for the day as officers blocked roads, shutdown schools and refuse to let people in or out of a 7-square-mile area.
More than 300 officers swarmed the west San Fernando Valley, locking down nine schools and setting up the dragnet as they looked for a suspect described as a white man in his 40s, wearing a bomber or black hooded jacket and blue jeans.
[Corrected at 9:59 p.m.: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said 3,000 officers were involved in the search.]
While many expressed frustration and anger at the inconvenience caused by the size and length of the operation, LAPD officials defended the decision as necessary to protect the public. They noted that the incident was especially serious because it involved an attack against a fellow law enforcement officer.
Authorities had even offered a $100,000 reward for information of the case and compiled a composite of the shooting suspect.
RELATED:
Thousands trapped inside police shooting perimeter in Woodland Hills
Woodland Hills search area one of largest in recent LAPD history
Reward up to $100,000 in shooting of school officer
-- Andrew Blankstein and Joel Rubin
EDITOR'S PICKS:
How strange.
Posted by: Andrew | January 27, 2011 at 09:11 PM
In south central they clean up the mess in 2 hrs and go on with the day. What drives our police dept to show such blatant disparity in response. Is it because the people in that area pay more in taxes. What is it?
Posted by: JC | January 27, 2011 at 09:22 PM
LOL--SMH what else is there to say???
Posted by: KD | January 27, 2011 at 09:24 PM
Wow. I mean wow.
Posted by: Smiley | January 27, 2011 at 09:27 PM
Thank you, you IDIOT (school police officer). You make the job for the rest of us officers a lot harder....I hope that you will get fired and never work as a police officer anywhere else!!
Posted by: MARINE | January 27, 2011 at 09:28 PM
...and the rest of the story?
Posted by: David | January 27, 2011 at 09:30 PM
So he shot himself in the chest or he had someone do it. How did he get shot. He is a disgrace to law enforcement. His actions could have gotten someone killed, thank God that it didn't.
Posted by: DLH | January 27, 2011 at 09:31 PM
3000 officers responded? Check your math and try 300.
Posted by: Mr Reality | January 27, 2011 at 09:33 PM
So what happened then?
Posted by: Michelle | January 27, 2011 at 09:35 PM
WOW!!!
Posted by: Richard | January 27, 2011 at 09:36 PM
Slap on the risk and early retirement at only 85% salary-that will teach him!
Posted by: Lenny | January 27, 2011 at 09:38 PM
Wow just wow I really cannot think of one sane reason anyone would have done this. I feel so sorry for the Los Angeles Unified School District fellow officers and their friends/family this might reflect on. How sad for all ........psych eval anyone?
Posted by: lianu | January 27, 2011 at 09:40 PM
The cop should be billed and made to pay for the man hours and cost the taxpayers are being stuck with. He should be prosecuted to the strictest letter of the law for creating this horrific situation. No doubt he has some mental issues and will probably use that as a defense. They should have caught it before he became a cop.
Posted by: isntitgreat | January 27, 2011 at 09:40 PM
LAPD should send a bill to the LAUSD for wasting manpower. Maybe the LAUSD will stop hiring losers and misfits for their "police" department.
Posted by: Decent American | January 27, 2011 at 09:46 PM
Only in LA :)
Posted by: Westsider | January 27, 2011 at 09:49 PM
3,000 officers???
1. He pays for every cent of overtime and gallon of fuel used to search for the alleged criminal.
2. He apologizes to the city, community and LAPD for wasting its resources and time.
3. He gets fired from the LAPD.
Posted by: Cosmo Kramer | January 27, 2011 at 09:50 PM
Aaahhh...you sly dog you. You fooled us all!! Good one.
Posted by: Luis | January 27, 2011 at 09:52 PM
If it looks like that is the case.
1. Arrest him.
2. Fire him.
3. Prosecute him.
4. Sue him.
Posted by: oldtimer | January 27, 2011 at 09:52 PM
Shame , What an idiot I sure hope they file charges on him !
Posted by: Rich05 | January 27, 2011 at 09:53 PM
wow!! and the shooting of a 16 year old students at the edge of bell high school the following day received how much attention? wow. what a lame-o this guy is. unbeleiveable.
Posted by: wowow | January 27, 2011 at 09:53 PM
Whoever first believed this guy and put the whole LAPD up to that massive operation should be fired immediately.
Posted by: Brian | January 27, 2011 at 09:54 PM
Whoever fell for this should be fired and his pension revoked.
Posted by: GEAH | January 27, 2011 at 09:55 PM
im so made i cant even type a simple word!!! unbelievable!!!!!
Posted by: wowow | January 27, 2011 at 09:55 PM
OMG I KNEW IT! THE POLICE AND OTHERS ARE JUST PRACTICING LOCK-DOWN TECHNIQUES....THOSE PARENTS SHOULD SUE THE GOV'T
DISGUSTING.
Posted by: maire | January 27, 2011 at 09:55 PM
Does this story seem incomplete?
Then what happened?
Posted by: Amy | January 27, 2011 at 09:57 PM