Suspect Killed in Gun Battle With Police at Motel

A shoot-out between police and robbers late Saturday night at a southwest Los Angeles motel left one of the bandits dead and three people wounded, including a police officer, authorities said Sunday.

Officer Ronald Colquitt, 32, an eight-year Los Angeles police veteran, was treated for a gunshot wound to his left side and released.

An unidentified suspect died at the scene, police said. A second suspect, Oren Qualls, 22, was being held Sunday at County-USC Medical Center’s jail ward, where he was treated for gunshot wounds.

Another man, Rodney Duplessis, 30, who police said was being robbed by the two suspects, suffered a minor leg wound.

Undercover vice officers were responding to complaints about prostitution activity at the Solar Motel in the 2900 block of West Jefferson Boulevard about 11 p.m., when they saw two men beating Duplessis, police said.

“The victim ran through the parking lot and the suspects caught him and beat him some more and removed some money from his pockets,” Lt. William Hall said. “When the officers attempted to intervene, one of the suspects produced a pistol and began firing.”

Colquitt, though wounded, fired back along with other officers. Qualls was wounded and the second assailant attempted to take Colquitt’s gun, Hall said. Colquitt, who regained control of his weapon, and another officer fired upon the suspect, who was mortally wounded, Hall said.