Busy Stretch Of Ventura Boulevard Reopens In Studio City After Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting
STUDIO CITY (CBSLA.com) — A busy stretch of Ventura Boulevard in Studio City re-opened early Saturday morning after a 12-hour on-scene investigation into a fatal officer-involved shooting that resulted in a bomb squad being deployed to the area.
Ventura Boulevard between Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Whitsett Avenue re-opened around 4 a.m. Saturday.
Detectives are trying to piece together what led up to the shooting that resulted in the suspect being killed.
CBS2/KCAL9's Jennifer Kastner reports cell phone video shows chaos unfolding inside a Studio City bank while gunfire eripted. The person recording cries and runs.
Witnesses say a deranged man with suspicious materials fired at least one round into the air around 3:30 p.m Friday while sitting outside busy Union Bank.
"He was hunched over, and I noticed six spray paint cans all taped together looking like a bomb and I see him hunched over, and he's just leaning over just with his head down, and he's holding a gun in his hand " witness Nikos Batanides said.
Witnesses say the suspect raised that gun in the air and pulled the trigger before he was swarmed by LAPD officers.
An officer-involved shooting took place, sending hundreds of patrons on Ventura Boulevard into panic before a mass evacuation.
"We were definitely scared that the shots would go into the restaurant," one woman, who was nearby at the time of the shooting, said.
The suspect was killed. However, his described package of cans and his backpack forced officers to send in a bomb squad robot for a closer look just in case they were hazardous or explosive.
The items were deemed safe.
The investigation is ongoing.
"Unfortunately, the motive and what brought him here to Ventura Boulevard is still unknown," Det. Meghan Aguilar said.
Police have not yet released the identity of the suspect.
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