Armed Youth Fatally Shot by Deputies During Search

A 16-year-old reputed gang member was shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies when he reached for a handgun in his pants during a pat-down search in the Athens district of South Los Angeles, authorities said Friday.

The youth, identified as Courtney Caldwell of Los Angeles, was fatally wounded during a stakeout Thursday night by a drug-enforcement unit at a duplex on West 110th Street.

A fully loaded .38-caliber handgun was found on the dead teen-ager, Sheriff’s Department spokesman Rich Erickson said.

A squad from the Lennox station was stationed in and behind the duplex about 9:50 p.m. when Caldwell left a group of companions--also reputed gang members--in front and walked down a long driveway toward the rear of the duplex, Erickson said.

One deputy, whose name was not released, stopped Caldwell for questioning.

“As he was patting him down, the deputy felt a handgun in the suspect’s left, front pants pocket,” Erickson said. Caldwell then pushed the deputy’s hand away and reached for his gun. The unidentified deputy fired several shots, striking Caldwell in the upper chest, Erickson said.

Another deputy inside the duplex, whose name was also withheld, rushed outside and fired several more shots at the teen-ager, investigators said.

The youth, who had not fired the gun, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said it was unclear how many shots were fired or which rounds mortally wounded Caldwell.

Times staff writer Bernice Hirabayashi contributed to this story.