Two L.A.P.D. Officers Shoot Driver



05:52 AM EST February 02, 2003

The Associated Press



LOS ANGELES

Two police officers shot and killed a driver who they thought was reaching for a gun, but no weapon was found, a police spokesman said.

Officer Gordon Olson stopped a car early Saturday for going the wrong way down a one-way street and ordered two men inside to raise their hands so he could see they were unarmed, Sgt. John Pasquariello said.

"The passenger immediately complied," Pasquariello said. "The driver, however, failed to comply and instead raised then lowered his hands several times as if reaching for something."

Olson, 43, reached into the car to pull the driver out, but the driver grabbed the steering wheel with both hands, Pasquariello said.

Officer Robert Duke, 35, arrived with his partner as backup. Olson told Duke that he believed the driver was sitting on a gun.

"The officers then observed the driver reach down between his legs beneath his buttocks," Pasquariello said. "Officer Duke's partner then yelled out that the driver was going for a gun." Duke's partner's name was withheld by police.

Olson and Duke both fired and the driver was struck by their bullets and died at the scene. His name was not immediately released.

The passenger, whose name was withheld, was unharmed but detained for questioning.

"A preliminary search of the driver and the vehicle did not turn up any weapons," the sergeant said, however, a clear plastic bag containing what was believed to be rock cocaine was recovered.