Man shot by Hawthorne police was armed, detectives say

A man wounded by Hawthorne police early Monday morning allegedly pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at an officer before he was shot, Los Angeles County Sheriff's homicide detectives said.

The man was taken into custody and a handgun was found at the scene, authorities said.

He was listed in stable condition at a hospital and was expected to recover from his injuries. The officer was not injured.

The shooting took place after police chased a speeding vehicle from a point near the intersection of West 116th Street and Crenshaw Boulevard to Imperial Highway and South Spinning Avenue in Inglewood. The vehicle stopped and a passenger got out and ran away, with the Hawthorne police officer in pursuit, authorities said.

The passenger allegedly pulled out his handgun in an alley behind the 2400 block of Imperial Highway in Inglewood. The driver of the vehicle and another passenger were detained at the scene, pending further investigation.

Homicide detectives with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department are investigating, as is routine in Hawthorne officer-involved shootings.

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Image: Map shows location of Monday's officer-involved shooting in Inglewood. Source: Google Maps