Shootout at Church of Scientology near LA leaves sword-wielding suspect dead, 2 cops wounded
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Two California police officers were wounded and a suspect was killed during a shootout Wednesday after police responded to reports of a hooded man with a sword entering the Church of Scientology of Inglewood, authorities said.
The suspect, who was not immediately identified, was shot in the head and later died at a hospital, Inglewood police Lt. Oscar Mejia told reporters at the scene.
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One officer was struck in a hand, and the other was hit in an arm, officials said. The officers, both in their late 20s, were hospitalized in good condition with non-life-threatening injuries, police Chief Mark Fronterotta said.
The shootout unfolded around 3:30 p.m. local time inside the front entrance of the church. Gunfire erupted when police approached a man wearing a hoodie and wielding a sword.
Officials did not say who fired first or whether a gun was removed from the suspect.
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Witnesses told the Los Angeles Times that a heavy police presence across several blocks followed the shooting, but beyond hearing the pop of a gunshot, they were uncertain what happened inside the church.
“The police aren’t playing around — all of them are out here,” 52-year-old Ron Sigur told the paper. “This is my city, I live in Inglewood. I want to know what happened.”
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Officials believe the suspect acted alone but were still working to determine a motive, FOX11 of Los Angeles reported. The suspect’s white-colored Bentley was found parked near the church and is being searched for evidence. Officials did not immediately release further details.
The Church of Scientology released a statement, thanking the police and offering its full support to authorities during the investigation.
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"We thank the Inglewood Police Department for their rapid response in protecting our parishioners and staff members," reads the statement obtained by FOX11. "These officers are doing a heroic job protecting the community and keeping houses of worship safe against hate crimes."
Inglewood is a city of about 100,000 residents about 10 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.