El Camino College Student Wounded By Officer Carried Pellet Gun, Had Suicide Note

TORRANCE (CBSLA.com) — An 18-year-old former El Camino College student wounded in an officer-involved shooting on the campus was carrying a pellet gun and had penned a suicide note, authorities said Friday.

The Airsoft pellet gun that Peyton A. Dingman was carrying on Thursday was "completely wrapped in black electrical tape," apparently to make it look like a real firearm, said Deputy Ryan Rouzan of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Two campus police officers shot Dingman, who attended the college last summer, after he allegedly pointed the gun at them when they arrived at a parking garage on the west side of the campus to investigate what turned out to be a false report that he was holding a female hostage..

Dingman, who was shot in the upper body, underwent surgery and was listed Friday in critical condition, according to the sheriff's department. He is expected to survive and face criminal charges.

No officers were injured.

A suicide note was found at Dingman's home, Rouzan said.

Dingman called 911 from his cell phone just after 11 a.m. Thursday to tell El Camino College campus police that he had a gun and was holding a female hostage at the parking structure, Rouzan said.

When officers responded, Dingman "produced what appeared to be a gun and pointed it at the officers," who fired their duty weapons, the deputy said.

No hostage was found at the community college, which is in an unincorporated area near Torrance.

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