Rooftop shooting suspect fatally shot by deputies near Compton
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - An investigation continues following a night of terror in West Rancho Dominguez after a man accused of firing shots from the rooftop of a home while he was allegedly under the influence was fatally shot by Los Angeles County deputies Thursday night.
The incident prompted an active shooter scare.
Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department responded to a call at a home near South Cahita Avenue and East Rosecrans Avenue, just west of Compton. Video from SkyFOX showed the suspect sitting atop the roof just after 8:30 p.m.
Authorities said the suspect’s family members called 911 and told the dispatcher their loved one was in the backyard firing a shotgun and that he was under the influence of drugs.
Homes near the area were briefly ordered to evacuate as authorities initially feared the suspected gunman, later identified as Jerman Magana, may have been shooting at random.
An LASD SWAT team was called in and at some point, officials said Magana fired at deputies down below and then turned his gun at the LASD helicopter above.
"While the suspect was shooting at the helicopter, two deputies on the ground fired at the suspect, striking him. Ultimately, the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene," LASD Lt. Steven DeJong told reporters at the scene.
Friends and family members told FOX 11 that Magana battled a drug addiction. They remember him as someone who grew up playing soccer before he got lost in a world of drugs. They added he had just been released from rehab at the time of the shooting.
Investigators said the shotgun was recovered at the scene next to Magana's body on the roof.
A suspect was fatally shot by deputies after he allegedly fired shots from the rooftop of a home in West Compton on the night of June 13, 2024.
A friend told FOX 11 off-camera he leaves behind a 6-year-old daughter.
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