Boyle Heights rally decries fatal LAPD shooting of man police say had replica BB-gun rifle
BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Family members and community leaders held a rally in Boyle Heights on Tuesday where they denounced the fatal LAPD shooting of a man who police say had a replica BB-gun rifle.
The shooting happened Monday on Spence Street near 8th Street after police responded to reports of a man armed with a rifle. The neighborhood was placed on lockdown.
AIR7 video shows SWAT officers surrounding a white van. Video from the scene shows shattered glass on the ground and several bullet holes visible on the windshield.
Police shot and killed a man who they say had a replica of a rifle in his vehicle when they responded. He was later identified as Jeremy Flores.
At Tuesday's rally, supporters held posters that said "JUSTICE FOR JEREMY FLORES!" and showed a photo of him.
"He didn't deserve what happened to him," the man's sister, Lindsay Palma, said tearfully. "What they did to him was not OK.
"He had a bucket list that he made while he was in jail," Palma added. "He wanted to go to church and he wanted to change."
Officers with the Hollenbeck Division responded to a call around 8:30 a.m. Monday about a person armed with a rifle, said Sgt. William Cooper, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department.
"After arrival, officers encountered a man armed with a possible firearm," Cooper said. "Upon further investigation and review of body-worn video, there wasn't a clear picture as to what the suspect's actions were at the time of the officer-involved shooting."
After officers fired, Cooper says a SWAT team arrived.
"SWAT did deploy gas in an attempt to make contact and get some sort of response from the suspect. There was no response from that suspect despite SWAT's efforts. At that time, they determined it was safe to approach the vehicle," Cooper said.
Flores was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said he had a BB gun replica of a rifle in his possession.
The van he was in appeared to be a work vehicle with what looked like cleaning supplies in open compartments.
Also on Tuesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a police commission meeting that he had asked the department's Critical Incident Review Division to examine officer-involved shooting cases from 2024 and 2025. The review found a rise in what he called "intermediate force" weapons -- such as beanbag rounds or stun guns -- which are designed to incapacitate suspects.
"This suggests that officers are actively attempting to de-escalate situations whenever possible, and are turning to intermediate force options in an effort to avoid using deadly force," McDonnell said.
Records from the department's website showed that officers have shot at roughly 21 people, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals. Investigations are ongoing, according to the department.
Officers have opened fire on suspects four times in the past two weeks.
City News Service contributed to this report.
