Fugitive parolee found dead after shooting 3 LAPD officers – Law Officer

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Police Department identified the 32-year-old man accused of wounding three police officers with gunfire during an investigation in Lincoln Heights Wednesday evening.

The gunman was identified Thursday as parolee Jonathan Magaña of Los Angeles. He was found dead after barricading himself in a home and forcing a standoff situation that lasted several hours, KTLA reported.

Police were in the area near Mission Road and North Broadway about 6 p.m. looking for the 32-year-old fugitive parolee. Magaña fled into a residence and subsequently barricaded himself in a nearby shed.

Officers established a perimeter and called for additional resources while also deploying a chemical agent.

“Unfortunately, that suspect responded to the chemical agent by opening the shed and opening fire on the officers,” LAPD Commander Stacy Spell said during a press conference. “The officers then returned fire and as a result, three officers with the Metropolitan K-9 unit were struck.”

LAPD issued a citywide tactical alert and a SWAT team was deployed. During the process, a police robot made entry into the residence and another round of the chemical agent was used.

“As they conducted a search of that area, they located the suspect, who was at that time non-responsive,” Cmdr. Spell said.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded and paramedics declared Magaña dead at the scene, according to the news outlet.

All three wounded officers were transported to a nearby hospital suffering from various gunshot injuries. They are reportedly in stable condition and beginning the recovery process.

Magaña had a long criminal record, including charges of battery on a police officer and illegal possession of a firearm. His last arrest occurred in October and released a day later. The parolee had prior convictions for felony robbery and selling methamphetamine, KTLA reported.

In 2020 he was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for an unspecified crime, but only served two before he was released, according to the news outlet.

“A very deadly situation. We’re grateful residents were not injured as part of this and we’re grateful the officers are going to be okay,” LAPD Assistant Chief Alfred Labrada said.

A cause of death for Magaña has not yet been released by the coroner’s office. It is unclear if he was shot by officers, took his own life or died from another cause.