Boy, 15, Killed, Man Wounded in Police Shootings

An off-duty sheriff’s deputy killed a 15-year-old boy and a Los Angeles police officer critically wounded a knife-wielding man in unrelated weekend shootings, police said Saturday.

Ornelio Gallardo of Venice died Friday night after being shot in the upper back, Los Angeles Police Lt. Charles Higbie said.

Higbie said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Steven Gottlieb had seen Gallardo steal a radio from his car while the deputy was eating at a Lincoln Boulevard restaurant. Gottlieb chased and grabbed the youth from behind, then shot him when he thrust a screwdriver in the deputy’s face, Higbie said.

In another incident, a man who allegedly slashed his girlfriend with a butcher knife and then raised a knife at a police officer who confronted him was shot by the officer Friday night in the Westwood area, police said.

Antonio Barba, 27, of Los Angeles, was in critical condition Saturday, with a gunshot wound in the chest. He was shot by officer Robert Selvidge, who first fired darts from an electric stun gun at Barba, then sprayed him with a chemical agent, said Lt. William Hall.

Police had been called by Leslie Lindholm, 27, who said she was cut on the hands in a fight with Barba.