A man was found dead and engulfed in flames on a sidewalk in the Hollywood Hills late Friday night. Investigators were looking to determine the cause of his death Saturday morning. Marin Austin reports live for Today in LA on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016.
A man on fire was found dead on the street of a residential neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills after neighbors reported hearing gunfire, police said Saturday.
Officers started receiving calls at 11 p.m. Friday about gunshots at Outpost Drive and Outpost Circle, according to Sgt. Chuck Slater of the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Division.
Officers found a man on the sidewalk on fire, Slater said. Fire authorities arrived on the scene and paramedics pronounced him dead.
He had suffered one gunshot wound to the head, but it was unknown if he was shot or if the wound was self-inflicted, detectives said.
Investigators said he was found lying on top of a firearm.
"After he went down and after he was engulfed in fire, he had extra ammunition on his person, and that fire lit off those rounds," said Lt. John Radke of the LAPD's West Bureau Homicide Division.
It was unknown if the fire was a crime or self-inflicted, Slater noted.
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Other reports of injuries were not confirmed by the sergeant.
A crime scene was set up in the area Saturday morning.
Marin Austin contributed to this report.
