Gunman Killed by Police Last Week Identified

A man who was apparently firing a gun on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City and was fatally shot by police was identified today by the coroner’s office as 44-year-old Seth Raines of Los Angeles.

Police shot Raines about 3:20 p.m. on Friday, forcing the closure of stretches of Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards and creating rush-hour havoc in the heavily traveled area.

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Several “shots fired man with a gun” calls were made. Arriving police found Raines sitting on a brick wall outside the Union Bank branch at 12185 Ventura Blvd.

Raines was holding what appeared to be a semiautomatic handgun between his legs. He ignored commands from officers and raised the weapon, at which point he was shot.

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Raines was struck and paramedics were not able to immediately help him because he was in possession of an explosive device which turned out to be a facsimile.

Raines was pronounced dead at the scene. He was later described as a drifter who had had several minor scrapes with the law.

--City News Service