Gunshot Narrowly Misses Officer’s Head

A Burbank police officer narrowly escaped death when a gang member fired a gun at him from close range, so close that the officer’s face was burned by gunpowder, but the bullet missed, authorities said Tuesday.

Officer Brent Ambrose, 27, was treated for facial burns after the 11:45 p.m. incident Monday at an apartment complex in the 600 block of East Angeleno Avenue.

Michael A. Miller, 24, a South-Central Los Angeles gang member who barricaded himself in an apartment where he had attempted to rob three women, later surrendered and was charged Tuesday with attempted murder of a police officer, assault and attempted robbery, Sgt. Don Goldberg said.

The incident began when a mother and her two daughters awoke while Miller was ransacking their apartment, Goldberg said. One woman called police and then fled from the apartment. A second was held at gunpoint by Miller but when he was distracted, she jumped through a window. Police said Miller fired a shot at the woman but missed. The third woman hid under a bed while Miller roamed the apartment looking for valuables.

Police surrounded the apartment and called for Miller to surrender. He allegedly walked to a door where Ambrose was positioned, opened it and fired a shot at the officer before going back inside. No shots were returned by police because of the woman who remained inside. A short time later, after police talked to Miller on the phone, he surrendered. He was being held without bail at the Burbank Jail.