West Valley Area OIS 07/25/2023 (NRF032-23)

** Effective January 1, 2024, the involved suspect's booking photos have been blurred out, in compliance with Assembly Bill (AB) 994, (amending California Penal Code (PC) Section 13655), which addresses the sharing of booking photos on social media by law enforcement.

The officer involved in the below incident has been identified as Police Officer II Jose Cuadra, Serial No. 39963. The officer is assigned to West Valley Division.

*The following information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed*

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Force Investigation Division is investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) that occurred in West Valley Division.

On July 25, 2023, around 11:09 a.m., officers received a radio call of an assault with a deadly weapon in the 7600 block of Reseda Boulevard. Upon arrival the officers saw the suspect on top of the victim holding a knife. The officers attempted verbal compliance and ordered the suspect to drop the knife, but the suspect failed to comply with the officers commands. The officers deployed 40 MM less lethal rounds, which did not stop the suspects actions.

The suspect began to stab the victim again and an officer involved shooting occurred. The suspect was struck by gunfire and collapsed. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded and pronounced the suspect dead at scene. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is listed in stable condition. The victim suffered serious injuries from the knife attack.

The knife is at scene and will be booked as evidence. The reason and circumstances surrounding the attack on the victim is still being investigated. The suspect is described as a male Hispanic in his 20s or 30s. No officers were injured during this incident.

The LAPD’s specialized Force Investigation Division responded to the scene, interviewed witnesses, and supervised the collection of evidence by the Forensic Science Division personnel. The complete investigation will be reviewed by the Chief of Police, the Board of Police Commissioners, and the Office of the Inspector General to determine the thoroughness and accuracy of the investigation and whether the use of deadly force complied with LAPD’s policies and procedures.