Updated: Man Seemingly Orchestrates his Own Police Shooting at El Camino College

Two campus police officers today shot and wounded an 18- year-old man who allegedly pointed a gun at them when they arrived to investigate what turned out to be a false report that he was holding a hostage in an El Camino College parking garage, authorities said.

The suspect, a former student at the college, was taken to a hospital, where he was undergoing surgery and was listed in critical condition, according to the sheriff’s department. No officers were injured.

The suspect called police and said he was armed and holding a hostage at the parking structure, campus Police Chief Michael Trevis told reporters.

“Officers arrived at the scene, encountered an individual on the ground level of stairwell 8,” Trevis said. “The individual produced what appears to be a firearm, pointed it at the officers, and the officers fired.”

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The man was struck in the upper body. No hostage was found, Trevis said.

A handgun was recovered at the scene, according to the sheriff’s department.

Sheriff’s detectives were sent to the parking garage to assist in the investigation of the shooting, which occurred shortly after 11 a.m., said Deputy Guillermina Saldana of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

The shooting occurred on the west perimeter of the campus.

The community college is in an unincorporated area near Torrance.

• City News Service