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Video Seen As Threat To Police Was Promo For Rap Group Comeback, LAPD Says

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — LAPD Chief Charlie Beck on Tuesday announced the arrest of a secondary suspect in connection with the posting of a video on social media that was viewed by officers as a threat to their safety. Beck said he was also expecting the imminent surrender of a primary suspect.

The video in question shows a man holding what the LAPD said was a loaded revolver while sitting in a parked car behind an LAPD patrol car.

The video was posted to social media last week and quickly went viral.

Beck said officers arrested the secondary suspect in Downey over the weekend and served a warrant Tuesday morning at the residence of the primary suspect, who remains at large.

"His attorney is in contact with Robbery-Homicide Division," Beck told the police commission Tuesday morning. "We're trying to negotiate that surrender at this point."

Beck did not identify either suspect.

In a statement that was released after Beck's announcement, the LAPD said detectives "identified the vehicle and three suspects who were inside filming."

"The investigation revealed that the film was made by members of an early 1990s rap group no longer in fashion," the police statement said. "The film was made and posted on social media to ignite a comeback by the rap group."

"The video in question was made for entertainment purposes only and was not a credible threat to police officers," the statement said. "The criminal investigation of the suspect, however, will continue."

According to the LAPD, the suspect in custody had an outstanding warrant for a prior firearm conviction.

The video was shown at roll calls last week and officers were told to pair-up for safety. The wife of one officer who asked not to be identified on camera said it certainly made an impression on some officers.

On Saturday, two LAPD officers shot and killed a man after they said their rear window was shattered. An investigation revealed that the man who was shot and killed was unarmed and the object that broke the window was a beer bottle.

Beck on Tuesday said it was not clear whether the rappers' video played a part in the officers' decision to fire shots.

"Certainly the officers were aware of that video," Beck said. "Whether that impacted their decision to engage in an officer-involved shooting I can't say right now."

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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