A story for every victim

Leonel Mateos, 20 [Updated]

Leonel Mateos, a 20-year-old Latino, was shot and killed by Los Angeles police Saturday, Aug. 28, near Washington Boulevard and Arlington Avenue in Arlington Heights, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Mateos was shot several times in the street about 7:05 p.m., said Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Times has contacted LAPD Force investigators to get more information about the incident and will provide details as soon as they become available.

[Updated Sept. 16: LAPD officers found Mateos standing in the street after getting a call reporting an “assault with a deadly weapon, suspect there now,” according to an LAPD news release.

At the scene, the officers said they observed Mateos striking the driver's side window of a stopped car with what they believed to be a handgun. There were two people inside the vehicle.

At that point, Officer Shane Bau and his partner, who was not identified in the release, shot Mateos, authorities said. Bau is a 10-year LAPD veteran, according to the news release.

After the shooting, authorities determined Mateos was wielding a wooden baseball bat, not a gun. The bat was recovered at the scene.

The LAPD Force Investigation Division is continuing to probe the incident.]

-- Sarah Ardalani

Share a memory or thought about Leonel Mateos

Before you post, here are some answers to frequently asked questions:

Remember, all posts are approved by a Times staffer. Profanity and personal attacks will not be approved.

  Required
  Required

22 reader comments