Los Angeles Deputy Angel Reinosa faked ‘targeted attack’ shooting
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced late Saturday that Deputy Angel Reinosa, a rookie deputy with the department, fabricated a “targeted attack” which triggered a massive manhunt on Saturday Night.
“Deputy Reinosa admitted that he was not shot at from the apartment complex area, as he had initially claimed,” Capt. Kent Wegener of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said after a follow-up interview about the incident.
“There was no sniper, no shots fired and no gunshot injuries sustained to his shoulder. Completely fabricated,” Wegener said.
Sheriff’s officials said in previous days that the deputy was walking to his personal car when he was shot in the shoulder. The shot was believed to have been fired from a nearby apartment building, Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said.
The deputy suffered what was described as a superficial, “very minor” injury.
Officials confirmed that police have recovered a pellet rifle in connection with the investigation. The deputy’s uniform, which contained damage “consistent with a gunshot.”
Reinosa, 21, admitted cutting two holes, which he had claimed were caused by gunfire, in his own uniform with a knife, the lieutenant said.
“He also told investigators that he had caused the holes in his uniform shirt by cutting it with a knife. There was no sniper, no shots fired, and no gunshot injuries sustained to his shoulder. Completely fabricated.”
The reason for the alleged hoax was unclear.
“Reinosa failed to provide information regarding his motivation for this act,” according to Wegener.
A criminal investigation into the deputy’s conduct has been initiated, Undersheriff Robin Limon said.
“It’s extremely disappointing,” Limon said. “We expect our deputy sheriff’s are held to a higher standard, and unfortunately, in this case, he did not act to that standard.”
Limon said she regretted the commotion caused by what officials now believe was a concocted story by the deputy.
“I apologize for the inconvenience that was imposed on you,”she said.
Investigators planned to turn over their findings to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges, officials added.
The manhunt for the nonexistent sniper lasted a full day, ABC News reported, and investigators at the time warned about the perpetrator still being on the loose. In an Aug. 21 press conference
photo/ Gerd Altmann via pixabay
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