Officer Kills Carjacking Suspect, 16, in Harbor City

A Los Angeles police officer fatally shot a 16-year-old in Harbor City after the boy got out of a vehicle taken in a carjacking and allegedly pointed a replica handgun at the officer, an LAPD spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Max McDaniel died at 11 p.m. Monday at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, two hours after he was wounded by Officer Michael Villareal, police and coroner’s officials said.

McDaniel, of Harbor City, was fleeing from a stolen Infiniti Q45 with two or three other suspects when he was shot, Officer Renee Montoya said.

Villareal is a Harbor Division officer who has served with the Los Angeles Police Department for more than eight years.

Villareal and his partner were responding to a report of armed carjackers when they saw the Infiniti heading east on 256th Street in Harbor City, Montoya said.

As the car turned north on Belle Porte Avenue, the officers saw three to four suspects inside, and called for backup and an air unit, authorities said.

At an apartment complex in the 25000 block of Belle Porte, the Infiniti pulled into a driveway, stopped and the occupants ran in various directions, Montoya said.

Montoya said Villareal told investigators that McDaniel got out of the car with “what appeared to be a stainless steel pistol in his hand” and ran toward the officer, who had left his patrol car.

Villareal drew his service weapon and ordered McDaniel to drop his gun, but the boy refused and pointed the pistol at the officer, Montoya said.

“In defense of his life, Villareal fired his pistol at McDaniel,” Montoya said.

The replica of a stainless steel gun was recovered by police at the scene, she said.

The replica matched the design used in the initial carjacking, according to police.

On Tuesday, Leo Terrell, an attorney for McDaniel’s family, promised to push for a thorough investigation of the boy’s shooting.

“The kid did not have a real gun,” said Terrell, who was retained by McDaniel’s mother. “We are going to pursue this shooting. We want answers.”

Terrell said that as part of his investigation he plans to order an autopsy.

Terrell said McDaniel’s mother told him that police officers searched the family home about 10 p.m., telling her that her son had been involved in a shooting with police.

The officers, Terrell said, spent some time searching the home with the family outside.

As is usual with officer-involved shootings, the LAPD’s critical incident investigation division and the district attorney’s office are investigating.