14-year-old arrested, LAPD officer shot while driving to work in South L.A

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in the shooting of a Los Angeles police officer who was driving to work in the Historic South-Central neighborhood early Thursday morning.

The plain-clothed officer was driving in an unmarked vehicle to the Newton Community Police Station at 3400 S. Central Ave. when the shooting occurred about 5 a.m., Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Robert Marino said.

Just a few blocks from the station, the officer realized the glass of his vehicle had shattered and he felt a sharp pain in his head, Marino said.

The 20-year veteran of the Police Department continued to drive to work, then ran across to seek treatment at a nearby fire station. KTLA News reported.

Video from the scene showed a pickup truck had been left parked on a sidewalk with the driver’s-side door open.

“At this point and time, it appears he does have a graze wound to the back of his head,” Marino said.

There was no indication that the officer had been targeted, Marino said.

Emergency personnel transported the officer to USC Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.

The unidentified officer is expected to be OK and was with family and fellow officers at the hospital, Marino said.

A juvenile in possession of a handgun was detained near the shooting location and has been taken into custody, Marino said.  

It was unclear if any other suspects are outstanding.

Marino did not give the juvenile’s age, but the Los Angeles Times earlier reported that the boy was 14 years old, citing an anonymous law enforcement source.

No further information about the teen has been released.

Investigators are still searching for witnesses to the shooting.