David Pacas, 36

David Pacas, a 36-year-old Latino, died on Tuesday, June 20, after he was shot by South Gate police officers at California Avenue and Santa Ana Street in South Gate, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

The incident began about 7 a.m., when a woman reported to the Los Angeles Police Department that her brown Honda Pilot had just been stolen at gunpoint, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

About 45 minutes later, South Gate Police officers spotted the stolen vehicle and tried to get the driver to pull over, according to the Sheriff's Department. 

The driver, Pacas, refused to stop, said Lt. Rodney Moore, and the officers took chase, pursuing the Honda west on Santa Ana Street to California Avenue, where it collided with five occupied and unoccupied cars. 

Pacas got out of the Honda, allegedly with a dark-colored firearm in his hand, and three officers chased after him, Moore said. 

During the short foot chase, the three officers began firing at Pacas, who was struck in the upper torso, Moore said. 

Pacas was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:09 a.m., according to coroner’s records. The cause of death was listed as multiple gunshot wounds. 

The gun found near Pacas wasn’t a real handgun, Moore said, “It was a replica handgun, a pellet gun,” he said. 

Moore said that because the investigation is ongoing, he couldn’t comment on why the officers started shooting. “There were specific actions he took which prompted the shooting, but I’m not expounding on the circumstances around the shooting.”

No officers were injured. A woman in one of the cars that were struck was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Moore said.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.  

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.