Daniel Enrique Perez, 16

Daniel Enrique Perez, a 16-year-old Latino, was shot to death by Los Angeles police officers Sunday, Oct. 2, near East 48th Street and Ascot Avenue in Central-Alameda, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Shortly before 5 p.m., officers went to the area after a person reported a man with a gun, said Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck. The officers spotted someone matching the description — a Latino man with a gray sweater and black pants — and began to approach him, Beck said.

That person, identified as Perez, then turned and pointed a handgun at the officers, Beck said, prompting police to open fire.

Paramedics took Perez to a hospital, where he died later that evening.

The gun turned out to be a replica weapon, with its orange tip covered by black paint or pen, Beck said.

Police initially described the person who was shot as a man between the ages of 18 and 22. 

The officers who shot Perez were wearing body cameras. Beck said he had “no immediate intention” of releasing that footage, which he said “clearly depicts his actions and his death, which are entirely consistent with the officers’ version of events.”

One woman who said she watched the shooting from her family’s home across the street told The Times that Perez appeared to put his arms by his side, but that she could not see his hands. Tiffany Peterson, 45, said police fired again when Perez was on the ground.

Beck said that the body camera footage “clearly refutes” reports that Perez was shot while on the ground. “That did not happen,” he added.

A few days after the shooting, Beck said that investigators believe Perez was the person who made the initial 911 call in a “desire to end his own life” and also left a suicide note.

Beck said detectives identified Perez through a cellphone he was carrying, which was used to call 911 about 20 minutes before the deadly encounter.

One of Perez’s parents believes it was the teenager on the recorded call, the chief added.

“We are deeply saddened by these events,” the chief said. “The tragedy is hard to describe.”

The officer who shot Perez, Beck said, “is devastated.”

Perez’s shooting was the second by LAPD officers in 24 hours.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.