More Details Emerge In Attempted 'Suicide By Cop' In North Hills

NORTH HILLS (CBSLA.com) — Authorities believe the suspect in this weekend's officer involved shooting in North Hills wanted to commit "suicide by cop."

Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department received a call of a man with a gun at Burnet Avenue and Rayen Street Saturday morning.

Upon arrival, police said the suspect threatened to shoot them.

Officers say they attempted to talk the man down, but indicate that he allegedly charged at officers.

That's when officers say shots were fired.

The suspect was taken to a hospital. His current condition is unknown.

No officers were hurt.

Charlie Beck, the police chief for the LAPD, says the investigation has uncovered that the call reporting a man with a gun actually came from the suspect's own cellphone.

"We believe this to be a suicide by cop," Beck said. "Mr. Martinez left a message for his mother that one could construe as a goodbye message and then obviously arming himself with a handgun and charging the officers."

Beck shared an image of the gun, which officers said the man was armed with.

That gun turned out to be a fake. But Beck says it is easy to see why officers believed it to be real.

The LAPD says the incident marked the third "suicide by cop" this year.