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Omar Gonzalez, 36

Omar Gonzalez (2016-07-28)

Omar Gonzalez, a 36-year-old Latino, was fatally shot by a police officer Thursday, July 28, in the 1200 block of Atwood Place in Boyle Heights, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

About 7:20 p.m., officers with the Los Angeles Police Department began chasing a stolen car, said LAPD Sgt. Frank Preciado.

The pursuit lasted just a few minutes before coming to an end in a cul-de-sac. A man who was a passenger in the car got out of the vehicle and ran up a driveway, Preciado said.

At least one neighbor told the two police officers that the man was armed with a handgun.

One of the officers shot the man about 7:45 p.m. He was taken to the hospital and later died of his injuries, Preciado said.

It’s unclear what precipitated the shooting. Police did not specify how many times the officer fired his gun, and it’s unknown whether Gonzalez also opened fire.

The pursuing officers, both men, were equipped with body cameras and a dash camera inside their police cruiser.

The woman who was driving the stolen vehicle was arrested on suspicion of felony evasion of police, Preciado said. Her identity was not released, and it’s unclear how she was connected to the man who was shot by police.

None of the officers or area residents were injured during the shooting.

The next morning, Ariel Leon lighted a white candle at the end of the driveway. He stepped back, crossing himself, then kissed his hand and pointed it toward the sky.

Leon, 32, said he had known Gonzalez for more than a decade. He described Gonzalez as a good person who worked construction and was a loving father to two young boys.

“I came to pay my respects,” he said. “It’s a shock to me.”

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.

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