Police block the road near the site of a shootout outside a Los Angeles County sheriff's station, the United States, on March 20, 2017. An armed man died in a shootout outside a Los Angeles County sheriff's station early Monday morning, according to local authorities. (Xinhua/Yang Lei)
LOS ANGELES, March 20 (Xinhua) -- An armed man died in a shootout outside a Los Angeles County sheriff's station early Monday morning, according to local authorities.
The shooting was reported at 7:25 a.m. in the parking lot of the sheriff's Temple Station near Las Tunas Drive, according to the sheriff's department. No deputies were injured in the exchange of gunfire with the armed man who had just gone to the facility to register as a sex offender.
The man, in his late 40s, died at the scene, the sheriff's department said. His name was withheld, pending notification of his relatives.
Sheriff Jim McDonnell said the shooting occurred just after the suspect had left the station, according to the City News Service(CNS).
"Deputies at the lobby felt that something was amiss," McDonnell was quoted as saying.
"They followed the suspect out into the parking lot, and at that point the suspect engaged the deputies in gunfire. The suspect went to his vehicle, and was shooting from the vehicle," said McDonell.
SWAT deputies were then summoned to the scene, but by then the shootout was over. They found the suspect dead inside the vehicle. A shot gun and handgun were recovered from the vehicle.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities.
"This is the third officer involved shooting this morning in the area. Certainly a great cause of concern," McDonnell said.
The shootout was one of three shootings involving L.A. officers in last 12 hours. Two people were arrested about 3 a.m. Monday after shots were fired at L.A. police officers in Van Nuys and a man was shot by Huntington Beach police about 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
