Off-Duty Officer Fires Gun in Traffic Dispute

An off-duty Los Angeles police officer, in a traffic dispute outside a popular all-night Westlake hamburger stand, fired 13 rounds toward another car early Sunday and slightly injured its four occupants after one of them allegedly pointed a gun at him, police said.

A passenger in the other car, Rawl Benavides, 19, was later booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly brandishing the gun, after he walked into Hollywood Presbyterian-Queen of Angels Medical Center seeking treatment for two gunshot wounds to the leg, police said. He had allegedly fled the scene of the 2:45 a.m. confrontation at Beverly and Rampart boulevards.

Police said Officer Keith Lewis was leaving Tommy’s hamburger stand when he was cut off by the car in which Benavides was riding, sparking an exchange of words. When Benavides pulled a gun, Lewis drew his 9-millimeter pistol and emptied 13 rounds in the direction of the car, according to the police account. It was not known if Benavides fired.

When the officer ran out of ammunition, he went to the local police station.

Three female passengers in the Benavides car were slightly wounded and released from the Hollywood hospital.