One LAPD Officer was injured and many local residents attending an Olympic Park Neighborhood Council (OPNC) meeting ducked for cover as a lone gunman entered the LAPD Wilshire Station at 8:30 pm this evening and opened fire. The injured officer was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. A seven year LAPD veteran, he was not identified by name but is said to have been wearing a bullet-proof vest that no doubt saved his life.
The Olympic Park Neighborhood Council meeting, which meets the first Monday of every month, was in progress in the LAPD West Bureau Community Room, right next to where the shooting took place. The lone gunman is believed to have had a ‘complaint’ and entered the LAPD Wilshire station and shot a desk officer with a semi-automatic pistol.
Daphne Brogdon, an OPNC Board Representative who was attending the meeting, wrote on her Facebook page just after the shooting. “During our neighborhood council meeting shots were fired right out the door. I leaped behind a lectern. Terrifying shots continued. My colleague was under my chair. We held hands and were half crying half in disbelief. Some minutes later police asked us if we were ok. They spoke a few times before I came out. I was so afraid the lady by the door who works for Wesson had been hit. I thought the gunmen had her. No one was hurt in our room. Suspect wounded and in custody. Police have been great.” Later she added: “Councilman Herb Wesson Jr is now here checking on us. The cops have been great. His deputy Sylvia Lacey was strong in the crisis.”
Neighborhood Councils are city-certified local groups made up of people who live, work, or own property in the neighborhood. Neighborhood Council Board Members are elected to their positions by the neighborhoods themselves to provide an interface between the public and the government on matters such as crime, traffic, development, roads and other issues they care about. We’re glad these dedicated volunteers from the OPNC are all safe and sound.
