Off-Duty LAPD Rookie Shoots Robbery Suspect

An off-duty Los Angeles police officer, searching for a ride after his car ran out of gas in the southwest part of the city, shot one of two men who allegedly tried to rob him, authorities said.

Rookie Officer Randy Canister was bitten on the hand and injured his back during a struggle Thursday with one of the assailants, Lt. William Hall said.

Eric Johnson, 20, was in critical but stable condition at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center with a bullet in his left hip, Hall said. A second assailant escaped, the lieutenant said.

Canister, who graduated from the Police Academy four months ago, was approached about 1:15 a.m. as he walked to a friend’s house nearby for help, Hall said.

Two men, one armed with a .38-caliber handgun, approached the officer, who was not in uniform, and demanded money, Hall said.

Canister gave the men money but hesitated when they told him to empty his pockets, fearing that they would see his police identification, Hall said.

‘Shoot Him’

The officer grabbed the man’s gun and, as the two were wrestling, the gunman shouted to his partner, “Shoot him. He’s got my gun,” Hall said.

Canister then pulled a handgun from his rear waistband and shot one man, identified as Johnson, in the left hip, Hall said.

Johnson dropped his gun and again ordered his partner to shoot Canister, the lieutenant said.

Canister fired two shots at the second man as he ran across the street but did not hit him, Hall said. The man drove away in a car Canister could not identify, Hall added.

In another officer-involved shooting, a teen-ager was wounded during a confrontation with a police officer in South-Central Los Angeles Friday morning, police said.

Donnell Rhyne, 17, was in good condition at County-USC Medical Center, where he was booked for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, Hall said.

Allegedly Speeding

The shooting occurred early Friday after police tried to stop three people in a car that was allegedly speeding. As the car sped off, it started sliding and skidded to a stop, Hall said. The driver stayed in the car, but two companions got out and started running, he said.

Demetrius Rhyne, 25, was found hiding in a yard and booked on a weapons violation, Police Lt. Fred Nixon said. His younger cousin was found in a crawl space, but when Officer Joseph Vita, 32, looked through the entrance, the younger Rhyne allegedly pointed a shotgun at him, Hall said.

Vita, an 11-year veteran, fired one shot, hitting Rhyne in the face.

The driver of the car, identified as Darrell Brooks, 24, was booked on a felony count of evading arrest.

Hall said the Rhynes and Brooks were believed to be gang members.