A 32-year-old LAPD officer has died following a "catastrophic spinal cord injury" suffered during a training exercise last week.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore called Officer Houston Tipping "a bright and uplifting young man with a full life in front of him," in a news release announcing Tipping's death.
The injury occurred at the department's academy in Elysian Park on Thursday. According to the LAPD, Tipping fell while playing out a training scenario that involved "grappling with" a colleague.
Officers immediately started CPR and Tipping was taken to L.A. County-USC Medical Center, where he died Sunday. His family was with him, LAPD officials said.
Today our city lost one of its young heroes, LAPD Officer Houston Tipping. A 5-year veteran, Officer Tipping patrolled the neighborhoods of Devonshire and worked as a bike instructor. He loved serving as a police officer. pic.twitter.com/ktjsTA0h70
— LAPPL (@LAPPL) May 29, 2022
Moore called Tipping's death a "tragic loss."
Tipping was an organ donor and the department said that "over the next few days, his selflessness will save other lives."
Tipping was based at the Devonshire Station and had been on the force for five years, according to a tweet by the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
An internal investigation into the accident is underway.
