Foot pursuit incident

Officer Jesus Carrillo

It was the evening of September 3, 2006. Officer Jesus Carrillo of 77th Street Area, Gang Enforcement Detail, and his partner were on their regular patrol in South Los Angeles. While driving in the area of 83rd Street and Stanford Avenue, the two officers saw a Cadillac SUV with a female driver and male passenger run a stop sign. As the officers followed the vehicle, they requested information to see if the car had been reported stolen. It had not.

Officer Carrillo and his partner decided to pull the vehicle over for the traffic violation, but the driver of the SUV refused to pull over. While following the vehicle, the officers observed the male passenger appear to reach under his seat, a common movement associated with concealing or retrieving contraband or a weapon.

While the SUV continued at a low rate of speed, the male passenger jumped out of the car and ran down a driveway. Officer Carrillo and his partner chased the suspect. They saw him running with his right hand over what looked like a gun. Both officers took cover and positioned themselves so they could see the suspect from a safe distance. The suspect, while trying to jump over a wrought-iron gate, caught his clothing on the metal spikes at the top of the gate. With both of his hands clenched on the gate’s horizontal support bar to try to free his clothing from the gate, the officers realized this was their moment to act.

Officer Carrillo and his partner cautiously approached the suspect, telling him to jump down to their side of the fence. The suspect began using his body weight to free his clothing from the gate. Officer Carrillo approached the suspect and tried to pull the suspect to his side of the gate when the suspect’s gun fell onto the ground. At this point, the suspect’s clothing began to tear and he began reaching for the gun. Officer Carrillo quickly reached through the gate to grab the gun before the suspect could. It was at this moment the suspect’s clothing ripped, freeing him from the gate.

The suspect landed on his feet and lunged for the gun, grabbing it just as Officer Carrillo did, resulting in a struggle.

During the struggle, the suspect turned the barrel of the gun toward Officer Carrillo’s neck. Unable to reach for his service pistol, Officer Carrillo wrestled the gun into a position where the barrel of the weapon was now pointed at the suspect. He ordered the suspect to drop the handgun or he would be shot. The suspect continued to struggle, so Officer Carrillo fired in self defense.

Officer Carrillo is commended for his courage, heroic actions, and his mental and physical preparation to handle an armed suspect in a life threatening situation. His level of preparedness epitomize and exemplify the highest traditions of heroism and maintain the standard of excellence which is the Los Angeles Police Department.