NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- A Los Angeles Police Department patrol officer shot and injured a teenager Saturday night after the suspect swung a piece of wood at him, a police spokeswoman said Thursday.
Police Officer David Nguyen of the LAPD North Hollywood Area shot Nathan Melara, 19, a burglary suspect, after Melara swung a 2-by-4 piece of wood at the officer, said Officer Rosario Herrera, a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles Police Department.
The incident took place about 10:30 p.m. in the 10900 block of Victory Boulevard near Vineland Avenue.
Patrol officers with the LAPD North Hollywood Area arrived at the location after receiving a call about a burglary suspect.
Officers tracked Melara to the rear of the store and attempted to detain him when Melara picked up a piece of wood and swung it at the advancing officers, Herrera said.
Melara was told to drop the wood, but refused. Nguyen shot Melara when he swung the board at him, she said.
Melara then dropped the board and ran to a locked chain-link fence and attempted to climb it. Nguyen, his partner and other officers eventually detained Melara.
During his arrest, Melara punched one of the officers several times in the head, Herrera said.
Melara was taken to a local hospital and treated for a gunshot wound. On Sunday, he was booked for assault with a deadly weapon.
The three officers were treated for minor injuries and released, Herrera said.
The Los Angeles Police Department Force Investigation Division responded to the incident and will be handling the the officer-involved shooting investigation.
The investigation will ultimately be reviewed by the chief of police, the Office of the Inspector General and the Board of Police Commissioners for compliance with the department's use-of-force policy, which states that an officer's use-of-force actions must be objectively reasonable, according to Herrera.
Additionally, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Justice System Integrity Division will conduct a comprehensive review of the facts of the officer-involved shooting.
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