LAPD Shooting: Chief Praises Officers While Mother Says Son Was Shot with Hands in the Air

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles Police are investigating a gun battle that left one of their own recovering from a bullet wound and a young man dead in a public housing project in Watts Monday night.

The LAPD officer is expected to recover, and Chief Charlie Beck praised his heroism today while the mother of the dead suspect says her son was unarmed and shot while running away.

The shooting at the Nickerson Gardens public housing project was reported at about 11 p.m. Monday at 112th and Antwerp streets, according to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Norma Eisenman.

Police described the confrontation as a running gun battle, but the mother of the dead suspect said her son was unarmed and running away from officers when he was shot.

"He didn't have nothing," Lisa Simpson told Fox11. "He was running and he put his hands up, and they still shot him. They (police) got nothing but guns on their hips. They don't Taser you no more, they kill your ass. Ain't no 'Tomorrow you'll be still all right,' no, they takin' your life away from you. And they gonna pay for this. They gonna pay for this dearly."

A police officer sustained an arm injury and was treated at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and later released. Beck visited the officer at the hospital and wrote on his Twitter page, "I'm in awe of the courage displayed," adding that the officer is "expected to make a full recovery and (is) in good spirits."

Initial accounts "suggest that our brave LAPD officers endured a fierce gun battle requiring unwavering courage," the chief said.

According to Eisenman, officers "were on extra patrols in the Nickerson Gardens community housing project," and they saw a group of people gathered.

"In the process of dispersing them one suspect began running," she said. "The suspect produced a handgun and exchanged shots with the officer."

Eisenman said gunshots were exchanged as the chase continued, and the suspect and officer were shot. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said a gun was recovered at the scene.

Officers from around the city helped set up a perimeter at the scene to search for suspects, but Eisenman said it appears the dead man was the only suspect.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.