LOS ANGELES – There were 16 police shootings by the Los Angeles Police Department in the second half of 2022, on pace with the average number of shootings in the last six years, the department reported Tuesday to the Board of Police Commissioners.
The average number of police shootings per year between 2016 and 2021 was 34.5. The 16 reported shootings from July through December of last year were on pace to fall below the 37 shootings in 2021, but higher than both 2020 (27 shootings) and 2019 (26 shootings).
Thirteen of the 16 shootings resulted in “hits.” Twelve of them involved suspects who police said had firearms, and another two “appeared” to have a firearm. One suspect was carrying a knife and another had a machete, according to LAPD. The report did not indicate the status of the suspects who were shot.
Last August, the City Council voted to direct the LAPD to provide bi-annual reports on the number of police shootings and the context of each incident.
Police Chief Michel Moore did not address the report during the meeting. Commissioner Steve Soboroff said that the commission adjudicates each police shooting incident and does not “rubber stamp” the decisions.
“In many of the cases there are very, very strong discussions about each situation and split votes,” Soboroff said.