Robbery suspect dies after being shot with 'less-lethal' LAPD projectile

A person died after Los Angeles law enforcement officials shot him with a tough foam projectile throughout an tried theft of a comfort retailer in San Pedro, officers stated.

The LAPD stated in a information launch Thursday that Roger John Nielsen, 34, was taken to an space hospital after the encounter with officers from the Harbor Division, and later pronounced lifeless.

The police model of occasions stated officers have been summoned about 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday to a theft name within the 700 block of W. Channel Road, the place they discovered Nielsen vandalizing the shop.

Officers reported that as they known as out to Nielsen, he picked up a chunk of Plexiglass from an indication he had broken, prompting not less than one in every of them to shoot him within the higher torso with a 40mm less-lethal launcher.

“After extra makes an attempt to realize compliance have been unsuccessful, officers approached Nielsen who shortly positioned himself on the bottom, face down,” the LAPD stated.

Officers used extra drive when arresting Nielsen, the discharge stated with out providing additional particulars. One officer suffered a dislocated finger through the incident.

An LAPD spokesperson didn’t reply to observe up questions on Nielsen’s reason for dying. His title isn’t listed on the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s web site.

Using so-called less-lethal projectile launchers and different weapons designed to subdue reasonably than kill has come below renewed scrutiny after police turned to them usually throughout current protests in opposition to federal immigration enforcement.

Final week, a federal choose prolonged restrictions that prohibit federal Homeland Safety brokers and LAPD officers from utilizing less-lethal weapons in opposition to peaceable protesters and journalists.

The LAPD makes use of 40mm projectile launchers way more usually than different big-city companies for day-to-day operations. In 2024, officers fired the weapons on not less than 195 events, up from current years, based on the division’s annual use-of-force report.

The units shoot a hunk of hurt foam roughly the dimensions of a small soda can at greater than 200 mph. The rounds are designed to unfold the drive of impression over a bigger space, with out penetrating the pores and skin.

Police officers have lengthy argued that the launchers are a great tool to assist subdue uncooperative suspects with out officers having to go arms on or use deadly drive.

However critics say referring to them as “much less deadly” is deceptive, contemplating how their use has resulted in different deaths in some cities, together with thousands and thousands of {dollars} in settlements to individuals who sued after they have been severely injured from being hit within the head and groin.