Los Angeles' police chief said Tuesday he had opened an internal investigation into the conduct of an officer who struck and killed a pedestrian in South LA Friday while driving at high speed in a patrol car.
The pedestrian was hit by the patrol car at approximately 5 p.m. along Century Boulevard near McKinley Avenue and died at the scene.
"While we're at the very preliminary stages of this investigation, I have very serious concerns regarding the officer's driving leading up to this collision," Chief Michel Moore told the Board of Police Commissioners.
Moore said it appeared the female officer, assigned to the Community Safety Partnership program, had in addition to traveling at a high rate of speed also "inappropriately activated her emergency lights."
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He said the dead man was 26 years old, appeared to be homeless, and stepped into the street outside of a crosswalk.
The LA County Coroner's Office said it was still working to confirm the man's name and notify his next of kin.
The officer was removed from field duty and was placed on administrative leave, Moore said.
