Fugitive Kills Himself as Deputies Arrive

A man wanted on a felony fugitive warrant from Texas fatally shot himself in the head as Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies tried to arrest him, officials said Thursday. Jerome Edmonds, 25, died in his apartment in the 100 block of Hurricane Street in Los Angeles, said Lt. Ross Moen of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Station.

Edmonds was wanted in Harrison County, Tex., for grand theft, Moen said. Deputies Larry Troup, Arthur Belmontes and Michael O’Hara went to Edmonds’ apartment to serve the fugitive warrant about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Moen said. “They saw Edmonds’ roommate in the lobby and he accompanied them to the apartment and let them in,” Moen said. “When Edmonds saw the deputies, he withdrew a handgun from a shoulder holster he was wearing.

“The deputies withdrew their side arms and told him numerous times to drop the weapon, with negative results. Edmonds then stepped back and placed the muzzle of his weapon to his head and fired one round.” Edmonds did not point the handgun at the deputies and they did not fire at him, Moen said.