Man Found Dead In Cerritos SWAT Shootout Identified

CERRITOS, CA - The coroner on Monday released the name of a suspect who was armed with an assault rifle and found dead in a Cerritos home after a shootout with Long Beach police SWAT officers.

He was Christopher Warner, 33, of Cerritos, according to coroner's Lt. Larry Dietz.

The decision about whether the death was a suicide or Warner was killed in the shootout was deferred pending further investigation, Dietz said.

SWAT were serving a narcotics warrant at the residence near Carmenita Road and 183rd Street at 4:45 a.m. Friday, Long Beach police Sgt. Brad Johnson said.

The suspect now identified as Warner fired shots at the SWAT officers and they returned fire, Johnson said. No officers were injured.

The officers surrounded the residence, some evacuations were ordered in the area, and streets near the scene were closed. Nearby Cerritos Elementary School remained open, but access was restricted to the east side of the campus via Marquardt Avenue, a sheriff's lieutenant said.

Tear gas was eventually fired into the home and the suspect's mother and uncle left the residence, police said.

Police entered the residence several hours after the standoff began, and found the man dead with a gunshot wound to his upper torso, Johnson said.

-- City News Service, photo via Shutterstock