A man walking on a Southern California freeway was shot and killed in a confrontation with a California Highway Patrol officer on Sunday. The incident unfolded around 3:30 p.m. on the 105 freeway in Lynwood near Wilmington Avenue, prompted by multiple reports of a man with a backpack and headphones walking across lanes. Responding to the reports, a California Highway Patrol officer confronted the man, attempting to talk him off the freeway, but he did not comply.
A video posted on social media seemed to depict the ensuing altercation. A scuffle ensued, leading the officer to draw his service weapon and discharge the first of three rounds. The CHP stated on Monday that, during the struggle, the pedestrian managed to access a taser in his possession, activated it, and used it against the officer. Fearing for his safety, the officer then fired his service weapon, striking the pedestrian.
Following the incident, all westbound lanes of the 105 Freeway in southern Los Angeles County were closed for hours in the Willowbrook area. The man was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Immediate details regarding the events leading up to the shooting were unavailable, and no officers were reported injured.
The California police shooting investigation team from the state attorney general’s office announced its intention to investigate the shooting independently. Aerial footage from NewsChopper4 revealed a splatter of blood in the middle of the lanes, causing significant traffic disruptions in the westbound lanes. Multiple police units responded to the incident, and it remained unclear whether the individual was armed.