GARDENA (CNS) – A man who was shot by Gardena police after allegedly threatening to shoot himself and another man died at a hospital, authorities said today.
Noel Salinas, 49, of Gardena was shot about 11:45 a.m. Thursday in the 13900 block of Van Ness Avenue, said Gardena police Lt. Steve Prendergast. He died about seven hours later, according to the coroner’s office.
According to Prendergast, the owner of a commercial lot where Salinas had his motor home parked called police and told them he had an argument with Salinas, who had threatened to shoot both the property owner and himself.
“Officers responded to the commercial lot and Salinas, who was holding a handgun and a knife, was ordered to drop his weapons,” Prendergast told City News Service.
The suspect refused to comply and instead retreated inside his motor home and emerged holding two guns, Prendergast said.
“The officers again ordered the suspect to drop his weapons but Salinas refused and instead began walking toward the officers,” Prendergast said.
“Fearing for their lives, the officers fired at the man.”
Salinas was taken to the hospital. There were no other injuries, Prendergast said.
The officer-involved-shooting was being investigated by the Gardena Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Los Angeles County’s District Attorney’s Office.
