Man shot dead by LAPD after confronting Crenshaw Plaza security guard

The man fatally wounded by Los Angeles police officers Wednesday had been shoplifting at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and fired a gun at a security guard who tried to stop him, authorities said.

The man, whose identity hasn’t been released, was confronted by a security guard, who spotted him about 7:10 p.m. shoplifting inside the mall in the 3600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, LAPD Officer Chris No said.

The security guard began talking to the man, who then brandished a handgun and fired an unknown number of rounds, No said. The guard was not injured.

The man then fled the mall and Los Angeles police quickly moved into the area, searching surrounding neighborhoods. He was eventually spotted in the 3700 block of Santa Rosalia Drive, but fled and hid inside a home.

Television footage showed officers in helmets firing their guns into a home garage a short time later.

Police say he was shot as officers attempted to take him into custody. The man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died of injuries.

Internal investigators are reviewing the officer-involved shooting.

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