Police Incidents

On April 12, 2024, OKCPD officers responded to the 200 block of SE 54th St. in reference to a man outside shooting a gun. When officers arrived, it was determined the man was inside of 243 SE 54th St. Officers were in a position of cover when they called the man out of the residence. The suspect, later identified as 59-year-old Juan Castorenna-Guerrero, exited the residence with a gun in his hand. Officers gave Castorenna-Guerrero verbal commands to drop the gun. He did not drop the gun, so an officer deployed a 40mm less lethal round toward him. Castorenna-Guerrero then raised his firearm and pointed it at officers. Six officers discharged their firearms toward the suspect. He retreated back into the residence. After several minutes, Castorenna-Guerrero exited the residence without the firearm and surrendered to officers. He was not struck by the officers' gunfire. He was arrested and booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on four counts of pointing a firearm.

Jonathan Adam Lecompte, 38, was a North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) employee who was killed on March 14, 2024 while trying to stop a carjacking in Lumberton, North Carolina. Lecompte was a witness to the theft of his NCDOT truck and was struck and fatally injured by the stolen vehicle after firing four shots at the carjacker.

On February 20th, 2024, at approximately 0005 hours, a female called 911 to report concerns about her mother’s safety. The daughter reported that her mother was with a male family member at his residence in Brush Prairie. The daughter stated that her mother was calling from the male family member’s phone, her behavior was strange, and she was making statements that didn’t sound like herself. While en route to the residence, initial responding deputies came across unrelated incident that required immediate law enforcement attention. Deputies encountered a severely intoxicated driver who was posing a safety risk to himself and drivers. As deputies dealt with the intoxicated driver, the original 911 caller, called back into 911. She stated she had just received a call from her mother, who said she was being held hostage and that there were guns everywhere. The caller said her mother then quickly hung up. The new information led to more deputies responding to the residence. At approximately 0117 hours, deputies arrived at the residence, located at 12521 NE 152nd Ave. in Brush Prairie, Washington. Deputies begin approaching the area of the property where the suspect lives in an RV. Deputies then encounter the suspect and the victim, who are standing outside the RV. Deputy #1 approaching the victim and speaking with her as other deputies speak with the suspect. The victim tells Deputy #1 about an alleged sexual assault and reports that the suspect is armed. When Deputies attempt to detain the suspect, he draws a firearm. At this time deputy involved shooting occurred. The suspect was struck and fell to the ground. Deputies rendered medical aid until Fire department personnel arrived. The suspect was pronounced deceased.

On April 13, 2024, at 10:38 a.m., Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Deputies responded to a reported carjacking in Hazel Dell (9200 Block of NE 15th Avenue). The victim reported that two suspects, a male and a female, had stolen his van. The witness also stated that the male suspect was armed with a handgun. The suspects reportedly left the scene in the stolen van. At 10:54 a.m., CCSO Deputies were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance near Goodwill in Salmon Creek, located at 14300 NE 20th Avenue. Witnesses stated that a male and female had attempted to carjack a vehicle with a person inside. Descriptions of the suspects near Goodwill matched the descriptions of the armed suspects in the Hazel Dell carjacking. Authorities have since identified the suspect as 41-year-old Benjamin Woods. Deputies responded to the scene and set up a containment area to search for the suspects. Deputies located the stolen van from the Hazel Dell carjacking behind the American Legion at 14011 NE 20th Avenue. Deputies observed Woods enter the American Legion. Immediately as the deputies reach the bathroom vestibule, Woods can be seen emerging from the men's room. He appears to be holding a handgun pointed directly at the officers. Multiple deputies open fire, and Woods quickly drops to his knees, evidently having been shot several times. Behind him on the tile floor is the gun, a small revolver. Deputies eventually drag him out onto the floor and cut off his clothes to begin giving first aid. When an ambulance crew arrived, they pronounced Woods deceased at the scene. The female suspect is currently outstanding.

On March 21, 2024, around 5:10 a.m. Robbery-Homicide Division (RHD) and Metropolitan Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit were at an apartment in the 7900 block of Reseda Boulevard to serve a search and arrest warrant for a suspect involved in a series of robberies. SWAT surrounded the apartment complex and made telephonic contact with the individual, Zeff Rocco, and ordered him to surrender. Shortly after, Rocco climbed over the third-story balcony of the apartment, armed with an assault rifle, and jumped to the ground. Rocco dropped the rifle as he struck the ground and immediately began to reach for it. As Rocco reaquired a grip on the rifle, an Officer-Involved Shooting occurred. Rocco was struck by gunfire and was taken into custody. Los Angeles Fire Department personnel who were at the scene transported Rocco to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. No officers or other community members were injured during this incident. The rifle Rocco was armed with was recovered at the scene and was determined to be a 5.56 caliber semiautomatic Ghost Gun. The rifle was loaded with 39 rounds, and had an additional loaded magazine secured to the weapon.

On Friday, April 19 just after 7 p.m., deputies responded to a duplex on Farraday Lane in Palm Coast after the FCSO Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call regarding a highly intoxicated female. Prior to arriving at the residence, Deputy Parker located the woman, Julia Jones, 40, a Palm Coast resident, at the intersection of Farraday Lane and Fawn Lane. While speaking with her, deputies noticed she could not keep her balance and smelled strongly of alcohol. They asked her to stand next to the patrol car to keep from swaying into oncoming traffic and at that point she became extremely agitated and began screaming. While deputies attempted to detain her to prevent further disturbance, she began spitting on the deputies and struggling to break free. After several minutes, deputies and medical personnel were able to gain control of Jones and place her in the back of the patrol car. During a search of her backpack, deputies located a small bag that contained three white pills that were identified as containing acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Jones was arrested on charges of Disorderly Intoxication – Public Place, Cause Disturbance; Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer; and Possession of Hydrocodone. While en route to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, Jones began banging her head repeatedly inside the vehicle and actively screaming. Deputies transported her to AdventHealth for medical clearance before she was taken to jail. Jones posted a bond of $7,500 and was released. “This woman disrupted a peaceful neighborhood and then continued to berate and attack and spit on deputies,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “If you spit and attack a Deputy Sheriff we guarantee you a trip to the Green Roof Inn.”

On March 24, 2024, around 11:05 a.m., 77th Street Division officers responded to a radio call of a Domestic Violence Restraining Order Violation in the 1700 block of West 59th Street. As the officers arrived, they saw the suspect, later identified as Brian Garay, in front of the residence. Garay immediately ran from the officers who pursued him on foot. A TASER was used, and probes struck Garay in the chest and stomach. Garay fell to the ground and was taken into custody. Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded and transported Garay to a local hospital. During the transportation, Garay began to show signs of medical distress. Garay was admitted to the hospital in critical condition, but since admittance has been updated to stable condition. No officers or community members were injured during the incident.

On April 10th, 2024, at approximately 11:13 a.m. Lansing Police Department detectives were conducting a follow-up on a violent crime. Detectives requested assistance from uniformed officers in patrol cars to conduct a traffic stop on the suspect. The officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle as it entered a parking lot behind an apartment complex in the 2000 block of Holmes Rd. After several minutes of speaking with the suspect outside of the vehicle, officers attempted to place him in custody. At this point, the suspect attempted to flee on foot and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, the accused disarmed a detective and discharged the firearm striking one officer and grazing another. At this point, one officer returned gunfire striking the accused in the lower left leg. Officers immediately performed life-saving measures on the accused before being transported to a local hospital.

At approximately 1:56 a.m., Austin 9-1-1 received an emergency call reporting a disturbance inside an apartment at 3050 Tamarron Boulevard. The caller stated there was a physical disturbance that could be heard coming from a nearby apartment.  Within the same minute, APD officers were dispatched to the call.  At approximately 2:06 a.m., three officers arrived at the apartment complex and attempted to find the disturbance. Officer Gabriel Walker Prado located the apartment and through a sliding glass door in the rear patio area observed two subjects inside the apartment engaged in a disturbance. Officer Walker Prado alerted two additional officers that were nearby searching for the scene of the disturbance. Both officers approached the front door area, while the first officer stayed positioned near the patio area. While the two other officers approached the front door area, Officer Adam Reinhart arrived on scene. Officer Reinhart knocked on the front door and announced, “Austin Police.” At approximately 2:09 a.m., Officer Walker Prado observed through the sliding glass door that one of the male subjects, later identified as Avelino Medel II, was armed with a gun in his hand. Mr. Medel, with the gun in his hand, pointed in an upward direction, then walked towards the front door where officers announced themselves. Officer Walker Prado at the rear by the patio immediately yelled 'gun, gun, gun,' and discharged his Department-issued firearm, striking Mr. Medel. Mr. Medel did not discharge his firearm. Mr. Medel fell to the ground, and the officers gave him verbal commands to stop moving and put his hands up. The second male subject involved in the disturbance opened the door and exited the apartment. Officers then made entry into the apartment, took Mr. Medel into custody, and rendered first aid. Mr. Medel’s firearm was located on the floor and recovered in close proximity to where Mr. Medel fell. At approximately 2:30 a.m., Mr. Medel was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was released from the hospital on Sunday, April 7. The other male involved in the disturbance did not sustain any injuries. Currently, there are no charges pending, though the case remains under active investigation.

On April 17, 2024, around 3:00 p.m., Seattle Police responded at the DoubleTree Suites Hilton Hotel to arrest a 67-year-old man who was being investigated by the state's Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. According to Police, the suspect believed he was meeting up with two girls ages 7 and 11. However, unbeknownst to the suspect, multiple SPD officers were undercover and waiting to arrest the man. Body-camera video shows the officers opening the door for the man, who immediately flashed a gun. A scuffle then occurred before police shot the man. The man was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. One officer was grazed by a bullet and was treated on the scene for minor injuries. No one else was injured.

On the morning of March 15, 2024, Officer Hare was dispatched to assist a motorist along Interstate 40. The motorist, Jaremy Alexander Smith, engaged Officer Hare in conversation before fatally shooting him and fleeing the scene in the officer's patrol vehicle. After a state-wide alert and a two-day intensive search, New Mexico State Police released the identity of the suspect, Jaremy Smith, alongside his extensive criminal history and warned that he was armed and dangerous. On March 17, 2024, Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report from a vigilant store clerk at a Murphys Gas Station located at 2730 Sunshine W Plaza Dr in Albuquerque, NM. The clerk's description matched that of Jaremy Smith. Deputies located Smith walking on Unser and established a perimeter in a nearby residential neighborhood in the area of Dennis Chavez Blvd and Unser. A foot pursuit ensued, and shots were fired, striking Smith who was then taken into custody without further incident. Smith was transported to an area hospital where he is being treated for his injuries.

On April 14, 2024, just before 10:00 a.m., HCSO deputies were patrolling the Beacon Meadows Park area. At some point, they encounter a suspect trespassed from the park the day before. Deputies asked him to leave, and for more than 20 minutes, deputies tried to de-escalate the situation, but the suspect refused to comply with the commands. Deputies deployed their tasers, and while the suspect was on the ground, he shot three times, hitting one deputy. The deputy was not critically injured.

On March 19, 2024, at 9:18 p.m., Lakewood Station deputies responded to a residence in the 15900 block of Indiana Avenue, Paramount, regarding a welfare call. They contacted the victim, who stated her ex-boyfriend had violated a protective order by showing up at her residence and demanding she let him inside. The male was later identified as 40-year-old Jose Acosta from the city of Bellflower. Deputies observed Acosta driving near the victim’s residence in an orange Pontiac vehicle. Deputies followed Acosta until he stopped in the number two lane of eastbound Artesia Boulevard at Downey Avenue in the city of Long Beach. As deputies prepared to conduct a traffic stop, they positioned their vehicles behind Acosta, who suddenly put his vehicle in reverse. Acosta accelerated backwards and crashed into the front end of the deputy’s patrol vehicle. The impact of the collision was so violent that it caused both vehicles to become inoperable. Deputies immediately exited their patrol vehicles and observed Acosta exit the driver’s door of his vehicle with a knife in his right hand. Deputies ordered Acosta to drop his weapon, but he refused and charged toward them, at which time a deputy-involved shooting occurred. Acosta sustained gunshot wounds to the torso. Deputies rendered aid until the arrival of Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics. Acosta was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene. A knife with an approximate three-inch blade was recovered at the scene. One deputy was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for life-threatening injuries sustained during the collision. There were no other persons injured in the incident.

April 09, 2024 Man is told to leave a gas station by a security guard (he was apparently grilling in the parking lot and had been asked to leave multiple times). Man pulls a gun. Security guard engages. Man fires back hitting the security guard in the thigh. Man is taken to the hospital and dies. Security guard is expected to be fine and is not facing charges.

On Saturday, March 30, 2024, at 2:16 p.m., JSO Patrol officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of Bertha Street after a complaint of erratic behavior by a male armed with a large knife, later identified as 49-year-old Jimmy Lamar Riggs. Police officers immediately canvassed the area looking for Riggs. At 2:36 p.m., Officers Vale and Easterly were flagged down by a concerned citizen who directed them to the southeast corner of Atlantic Boulevard and Belote place, where Riggs was located. Officers Vale and Easterly immediately observed that Riggs was holding a large knife above his head. The officers both yelled loud verbal commands to Riggs to drop the knife. Rather than comply with the officers' directives, Riggs walked towards the officers, still wielding the large knife above his head. At 2:37 p.m., when Riggs came within 10 to 15 feet of the officers Officer Vale fired his firearm while officer Easterly simultaneously deployed his agency issue taser. Riggs fell to the ground, both struck by the gunfire and momentarily incapacitated by the effects of the taser. Officer Vale handcuffed Riggs, and Officer Easterly kicked away from Riggs the knife that Riggs had been holding. Within a minute, rescue was on scene and Riggs was immediately transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his lower body, in addition to self-inflicted stab wounds to his abdomen. Riggs remains hospitalized in critical condition in a local hospital. the following body warn camera footage captured the shooting Crime scene detectives responded to the scene and collected the large knife with which Riggs had been armed. Riggs' arrest history includes multiple felony arrests for crimes including kidnapping, robbery, burglary and drug possession. Additionally, Riggs had three known mental health evaluations pursuant to the Baker Act. Due to his actions immediately prior to this critical incident, Riggs is currently charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer.

On March 16, 2024, at 9:20 p.m., East Los Angeles Station deputies responded to a market in the 3600 block of Pomeroy Street, Unincorporated Los Angeles, regarding a call of a disturbance at the business. The caller stated a male was holding a metal stick harassing customers in front of the store. A few minutes later, the call was updated to include the male was holding a black handgun. The male was later identified as 28- year-old Martin Sebastian from the Unincorporated Los Angeles area. Deputies responded and located Sebastian standing in front of the business. Sebastian pointed a firearm at the deputies at which time a deputy-involved shooting occurred. Sebastian sustained several gunshot wounds. Deputies rendered first aid until the arrival of Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics. Sebastian was pronounced dead at the scene. A replica firearm was recovered at the scene. No other persons were injured during this incident.

This investigation began at 2:24 a.m. on April 2, 2024, when SLC911 received a 9-1-1 call from an employee working at the Chevron gas station, located at 875 South State Street. The employee told the 9-1-1 call taker the suspect, later identified as Mr. Cloward, had a knife and tried to stab him through a window. Based on the employee’s statements to SLC911, Mr. Cloward may have committed an aggravated robbery by using, or threatening to use, a dangerous weapon during the commission of a robbery or attempted robbery. When officers arrived, they found Mr. Cloward walking in the gas station’s parking lot. Officers could see Mr. Cloward holding a knife. Mr. Cloward started walking north from the gas station on the east sidewalk of State Street. Mr. Cloward turned around, faced officers, and began walking back into the gas station parking lot. Body-worn camera footage from one of the officers on scene captured him telling Mr. Cloward to stop walking toward the gas station. Body-worn camera footage shows Mr. Cloward holding his knife with the blade positioned under his chin. Officers gave repeated commands for Mr. Cloward to drop the knife, stop walking, and to get on the ground. Mr. Cloward refused the officers’ orders, and repeatedly said, “I don’t care.” An officer requested a “less lethal shotgun.” Officers began creating distance between them and Mr. Cloward as he continued to hold the knife. As this occurred, Mr. Cloward took steps toward the officers, while holding the knife, and while continuing to disregard their orders to stop. Four (4) SLCPD officers used deadly force. Officers placed Mr. Cloward into custody and conducted a medical assessment. Gold Cross and Salt Lake City Fire confirmed Mr. Cloward died on scene.

At 11 a.m. on June 3, 2022 a Naperville Police Officer conducted a traffic stop on northbound Bond Street, north of McDowell Road on Naperville's northwest side. Approximately 12 minutes into the stop, an uninvolved vehicle pulled up next to the vehicle the officer had pulled over. A man quickly exited the vehicle and immediately charged at the officer with a hatchet in his hand. The officer, a 22-year veteran of the Naperville Police Department, discharged his firearm, striking the subject. The suspect, a white male in his 20s, was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Neither the officer nor any bystanders were physically injured.

On March 29, 2024, at approximately 1300 hours, Sparks Police Officer conducted a traffic stop on a Ford expedition with no license plate. The officer attempted to make contact with driver however the driver immediately produced a firearm and fired at the officer through driver side window, striking the officer. The officer sustained multiple injuries as a result of suspect actions. The officer fired his firearm at the suspect. The suspect fled the scene eastbound in a Ford Expedition. The suspect ran a stop sign at an intersection and collided with another vehicle which was traveling southbound, disabling the Expedition. The suspect exited his vehicle and fled on foot. At approximately 1340 hours, Sparks PD Emergency Dispatch received a 911 call stating a black male adult forcibly entered an occupied residence. The caller advised, she had been cooking in the kitchen when the suspect entered her residence with a firearm. The victim reported she used a knife she was holding to protect her and her children by cutting the suspect who then fled out of the back of the residence. As officers and deputies from multiple agencies began setting up a perimeter, a shelter in place order was given to the residence in the immediate area due to the threat the suspect posed to the community. Officers from the Sparks PD, Reno PD, and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office began conducting a door to door search for the suspect. The investigation later revealed during this time, the suspect had entered another residence and taken that female occupant hostage. At approximately 1400 hours, officers contacted that female who was attempting to leave the area in a vehicle. The female driver was advised by the officers that there was a shelter in place order and was told to go back inside. The female then drove into her garage and closed the door. The officer later learned the female driver had been taken hostage by the suspect and he had forced her to drive out of the search area while he hid in the rear passenger compartment of the vehicle. As officers continued their search, they contacted the same residence to ensure the suspect was not inside the house. A Washoe County deputy made contact with the female occupant who was later determined to be the kidnapped victim who had previously attempted to driver out of the search area. As the deputy made contact with this victim, she was first observed laying on the floor near the doorway. As the deputy identified himself as the police, the suspect began firing from inside the residence, sticking the Washoe County deputy and another sparks police officer. Officers returned fire and dragged the victim from the house to safety. While the suspect continued to fire from inside the residence, officers from both the Sparks Police Department and Reno Police Department discharged their firearms toward the suspect. A female called 911 at approximately 1415 hours, stating she was hiding in her bathroom, after the suspect had broken into her home. Crisis negotiators and SWAT teams from the Sparks Police Department, Reno Police Department and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded and began to attempt to resolve the situation without furtherer incident. For approximately 5 hours, the crisis negotiators and SWAT teams used tactics to encourage the suspect to surrender peacefully. However the suspect did not respond. At approximately 1930 hours, Sparks Police SWAT Operators entered the garage of the residence. The suspect who had been hiding began firing at the officers, striking one of the officers service weapons. At that time, SWAT operators discharged their firearms toward the suspect as they retreated from the garage. This was the suspect’s third ambush attack on the officers, each ambush resulting in the officers being struck by his gunfire. Due to these ambush attacks on the officers and the suspect’s unwillingness to communicate or surrender. He continued to pose an imminent threat to the officer for approximately the next two and half hours. During this time, officers continued to utilizes communication from crisis negotiators and used SWAT tactics to attempt to resolve the incident. The suspect did not respond to this further attempts. Believing the suspect may have been injured during the incident, the Sparks SWAT team escorted the TEMS medics to the garage where the suspect was last seen. The suspect was located and ultimately pronounced deceased on scene. The officers who sustained injuries during this incident were transported to a local hospital, and treated for their injuries and released.