Officers Fatally Shoot Armed Man on Blue Line Train

An armed Metro Rail passenger was fatally shot by Long Beach police when he pointed a gun at two officers after being told to drop his weapon, authorities said Saturday.

The unidentified man, described as being in his 20s, was seen by passengers about 8:30 p.m. Friday carrying a handgun on the southbound Blue Line train as it approached the 5th Street station in Long Beach, said police spokeswoman Karen Kerr Owens.

A passenger alerted the train operator over the emergency intercom and police were notified, Owens said. After the train stopped, two police officers found the man.

“They told him to drop the weapon several times,” Owens said. But after he pointed the gun at them, one officer fired several shots, she said. The man was taken to St. Mary Medical Center, where he died about 9:45 p.m. None of the about 25 other passengers were injured.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Dets. John Boston or Steve Prell at (562) 570-7244.