The Los Angeles Police Department has unveiled body camera footage depicting the moments leading up to the fatal shooting of Jason Maccani, who approached officers while holding what turned out to be a plastic fork.
The incident unfolded on February 3 near Towne Avenue, adjacent to the Skid Row area. Officers were dispatched to the scene following reports of a possibly intoxicated man who was allegedly threatening employees with a stick at a manufacturing business.
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Jason Maccani, was reportedly wielding what appeared to be a knife or screwdriver and failed to comply with verbal commands as he advanced toward the officers.
Initially, less-lethal foam pellets and bean bag rounds were deployed to subdue Jason Maccani. When these methods proved ineffective, an officer discharged their firearm, striking him.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the object believed to be a knife was a white plastic fork. Maccani was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The officer-involved shooting has sparked public criticism, with concerns raised during a recent LAPD police commission meeting. The LAPD has made the video footage available on its YouTube Channel, along with the 911 call reporting Maccani’s alleged break-in at the downtown L.A. building.
Tommy Tunson, a former police chief turned criminal justice instructor at Bakersfield College, emphasized the swift escalation of dangerous situations and the limited time officers have to react.
“There really is milliseconds for you to respond, and you want to respond the right way, so that you and others in the area are all safe,” Tunson remarked.
Both the LAPD Force Investigation Division and the California Attorney General’s office are conducting inquiries into the shooting.
Los Angeles Police Department Press Release
February 7, 2024
UPDATE:
The officer involved in the below incident has been identified as Police Officer I Caleb Garcia-Alamilla, Serial No. 45471 assigned to Central Division.
February 6, 2024
UPDATE:
The suspect was identified as 36-year-old Jason Maccani. The next of kin has been notified.
February 4, 2024
Officer-Involved Shooting of Jason Maccani in Central Division
**The following information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**
Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Force Investigation Division is investigating an Officer-Involved Shooting that occurred in Central Division.
On February 3, 2024, at 2:14 p.m., Central Division uniformed officers responded to a radio call of an “Assault with a Deadly Weapon,” at the 600 block of Towne Avenue. The comments of the call indicated the suspect was under the influence and armed with a stick threatening employees.
When officers arrived at the location, they met with the Person Reporting (PR). The PR stated the suspect entered the business on the 4th floor of a warehouse, located at the 800 block of East 7th Street and told the PR to leave the location. The PR, who was in fear, left the business and contacted the police. The PR told the officers the suspect had access to sharp items and metal objects inside the business. The PR signed a Private Persons Arrest for Trespass and directed the officers to the 4th floor.
Once on the 4th floor, the officers observed the suspect inside the business and ordered him to exit with his hands up. The suspect initially complied then turned and charged toward the officers with a white object protruding from the bottom of his clenched right hand, which was held at chest level. The officers deployed less lethal toward the suspect, which was ineffective. The suspect continued to advance toward the officers with the object still clenched in his right hand. The suspect grabbed one of the officers and the Beanbag Shotgun she was holding, resulting in an Officer-Involved Shooting.
Jason Maccani was struck by gunfire and brought to the ground, where he was taken into custody without further incident. The officers rendered aid to the suspect until the arrival of the Los Angeles Fire Department personnel. The suspect was transported by rescue ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The object possessed by the suspect, believed to be a knife, was later determined to be a white plastic fork. The suspect has not been identified.
The item was recovered at the scene and booked as evidence. No other community members were injured as a result of this incident. A supervisor, who was with the officers when the incident occurred, sustained a laceration to his right hand. The supervisor was treated for his injury at a local hospital and released.
The LAPD’s specialized Force Investigation Division responded to the scene and interviewed witnesses. Although representatives from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office initially responded to the scene, the Department of Justice investigators from the Office of the California Attorney General, Division of Law Enforcement, ultimately assumed prosecutorial oversight for this incident per Assembly Bill 1506 and collected the evidence.
The complete investigation will be reviewed by the Chief of Police, the Board of Police Commissioners, and the Office of the Inspector General to determine the thoroughness and accuracy of the investigation and whether the use of deadly force complied with LAPD’s policies and procedures.