Los Angeles County officials have identified a 17-year-old girl as Johanna Gonzalez who died following an altercation at the Industry sheriff’s station, where she allegedly grabbed a deputy’s gun and shot herself.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported that the incident took place Sunday night at the station located at 150 N. Hudson Ave.
The deceased, Johanna Gonzalez from La Puente, was pronounced dead at the scene, with the L.A. County Medical Examiner’s Department classifying her death as suicide due to a gunshot wound to the head.
According to the sheriff’s department, deputies had responded to a family disturbance call on the 300 block of Clintwood Avenue in La Puente earlier that evening. The juvenile’s foster parent reported a mental health crisis, but by the time deputies arrived, Gonzalez had already left on foot.
Though it’s unclear where Gonzalez was headed, she arrived at the Industry sheriff’s station around 7:40 p.m., approximately one mile from the La Puente residence. There, during an altercation, she accessed a deputy’s handgun and inflicted a self-inflicted wound, as explained by sheriff’s Lt. Art Spencer.
An attorney representing the family expressed skepticism about the events leading to Gonzalez’s death, citing her physical stature and the deputy’s firearm accessibility. The girl had been under the care of her aunt and uncle prior to her passing.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, there are ways to get help. Just call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 at any time.