Members of a multi-jurisdiction task force shot and killed a man who rammed a sheriff's deputy with a car during an investigation in Studio City, authorities announced Friday.
The deputy-involved shooting outside a Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 12100 block of Ventura Boulevard, near Laurel Canyon Boulevard, occurred about 9 p.m. Thursday, according to broadcast reports and a sheriff's spokesman.
The shooting occurred during a ``High Intensity Drug Traffic Areas'' operation involving Drug Enforcement Administration agents.
``(One deputy) was attending a debriefing after serving a search warrant,'' said Sgt. Diane Hecht of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau.
``During their discussion they saw a man looking into parked cars who appeared to be casing the area to commit a crime.''
The law enforcement officials confronted the man and ``he immediately became uncooperative and a struggle ensued,'' Hecht said. Another deputy approached the scuffle, drew his weapon and ordered the suspect to the ground.
``A white sedan, driven by a second suspect, sped toward the group, hitting the deputy,'' Hecht said.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
``The deputy was thrown into the air, landed on the hood, hit the windshield, and was thrown back onto the ground.''
The deputy and a DEA agent then fired their weapons at the vehicle, Hecht said.
``The car accelerated a short distance through the parking lot, crashing into several parked cars,'' Hecht said.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The deputy was treated at a hospital for severe bruising and abrasions and was released.
The initial suspect, whose name was not released, is being held and questioned by detectives. It was unknown whether the two suspects were connected.
