Suspected Burglar Shot and Killed by CSUN Officer
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A suspected car burglar was shot to death Tuesday night at Cal State Northridge in a struggle with a campus police officer over the officer’s pistol, Los Angeles police reported.
Campus police declined to discuss the shooting, but Los Angeles police said it took place around 7 p.m. on the campus.
The campus officer was investigating a reported car burglary in a campus parking lot, Sgt. Ted Demaegt said.
“During the investigation a suspect grabbed the officer’s firearm, causing it to discharge,” he said. “The suspect sustained a single gunshot wound and died at the scene.”
The name of the dead man was withheld pending notification of relatives. He was described as about 20 years old.
Gene Wilk, a reporter for The Daily Sundial campus newspaper, said the shooting occurred in a parking lot on the north side of the campus, where witnesses said the man had been attempting to break into a car.
The man got into a truck and the pursuing officer broke the truck’s window with his gun, Wilk said.
Witnesses said a fight broke out over the officer’s weapon and the man was shot in the head, Wilk said.
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