L. A. Officer Shoots Boy, 16, After Chase

A 16-year-old boy was shot and critically wounded by a Los Angeles police officer early Sunday after the youth threatened the officer with a gun, detectives said.

Investigators said the incident began about 12:30 a.m. when Harbor Division police received a call reporting that shots had been fired near Halldale Avenue and 227th Street, north of Harbor City. Responding officers said they heard several more shots and saw an old Cadillac stopped at the dead end of 227th Street, about 100 yards east of the intersection.

Jose Perez, 36, who lives on the block, said he saw a youth get out of the Cadillac “and take off down the railroad tracks” that curve south beyond the end of the street. “I couldn’t tell whether he had a gun,” he said.

Perez said that as the youth disappeared around a fence, an officer got out of a police car and chased him.

Investigators said the youth suddenly stopped and turned toward the pursuing policeman, Officer Francisco Quintanilla, 25, who saw what he thought was a shotgun in the youth’s hands.

Fearing for his life, Quintanilla fired four shots, hitting the youth twice, once in the abdomen and once in the buttocks, according to the investigators.

A loaded .44-magnum revolver was found near where the youth fell, officers said.

The youth, whose name was not released because of his age, was taken to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where his condition was listed as critical.

Investigators said two other suspects--Fernando Ortiz, 21, and a second 16-year-old boy, were arrested in the Cadillac, where they had remained during the shooting. Officers said no weapons were found in the car.

Because of their alleged involvement in the incident, the two were booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer.

Detectives said they had not determined why or exactly where the earlier shots were fired.