CHP officer fatally shoots man at Cerritos mall; gunfire prompted shoppers to flee

A California Highway Patrol officer fatally shot a man Friday outside a mall in Cerritos, authorities said.

The incident occurred about 4 p.m. at Los Cerritos Center, a large shopping mall next to the 605 Freeway in southeast Los Angeles County, according to Deputy Veronica Fantom, a spokesperson for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

The man who was struck by gunfire was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Fantom said.

It’s unclear what led to the shooting, and a CHP spokesperson did not provide any information. KTTV reported that the shooting came after a CHP pursuit.

Detectives with the Sheriff’s Department were called Friday evening to assist the investigation, but that agency was not involved in the incident, Fantom said.

The sound of gunfire prompted shoppers at Los Cerritos Center to run from stores and into the parking lot, according to video footage posted on social media.