Officials today released the name of a 42-year-old man who was shot to death on a rooftop by Long Beach police officers while armed with a gun after he allegedly attempted to carjack a person.
The man was identified as Jaime Rodriguez, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. A spokesperson could not be reached to determine Rodriguez’s city of residence. Officers were dispatched at 11:10 a.m. Saturday to the 1100 block of East 17th Street regarding “a dispute involving a person with a gun,” said Officer Paige White of the Long Beach Police Department.
Arriving officers spotted Rodriguez on a roof with what they believed was a firearm in his hand, White said.
Broadcast video showed him pacing on the roof of a two-story building, behaving in an agitated manner and holding what appeared to be a handgun.
“Officers made several attempts to de-escalate the situation, as the man refused to put down the firearm,” White said. “Officers established a perimeter, activated SWAT and advised nearby residents to evacuate and/or shelter in place.”
When he still refused to put down the handgun, officers discharged 40mm less-lethal foam projectiles but he still did not comply, White said.
“After approximately 20 minutes, the man pointed the firearm at officers, which resulted in officers discharging their handguns and an AR-15 patrol rifle,” she said. “The man continued to manipulate the firearm in his hand and refused to follow multiple commands to drop the firearm.”
SWAT officers were able to get onto the roof and attempt to aid Rodriguez after he became unresponsive. Long Beach Fire Department paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene, White said.
“Further investigation revealed the man kidnapped, physically assaulted and attempted to carjack a victim prior to officers arriving on scene,” she alleged. “The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries to the upper body and was transported to a local hospital.”
No officers were injured in the incident, White said.
A firearm was recovered at the scene, police said. All of the officers were equipped with body-worn cameras and footage will be reviewed by police officials and made available to the public as soon as possible, according to police.
