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The Los Angeles Police Department announced this afternoon they determined that a man they fatally shot at the end of a brief pursuit Wednesday night on the 101 Freeway was unarmed, but that he had called 911 during the chase to say that he had a gun.
19-year-old Abdul Arian was fatally shot by LAPD officers on the 101 Freeway last night just before 10 p.m. when he jumped out of his stopped vehicle and began to run across the lanes. Authorities say that during the chase, Arian had called 911 and threatened to shoot the pursuing officers, according to City News Service.
In a news release regarding the incident, the LAPD says Arian made several troubling statements to the 911 dispatcher:
“I have a gun.”
“I’ve been arrested before for possession of destructive devices, I’m not afraid of the cops.”
“If they pull their guns, I’m gonna have to pull my gun out on them.” The 911 dispatcher implored the suspect to stop, telling him, “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
The suspect responded, “I’m not gonna get hurt S---head, F--- these police, they’re gonna get hurt."
But Arian's uncle, Hamed Arian, said his nephew was only carrying his cellphone. The victim's relative also said that the young Arian was hoping to have a career in law enforcement.
Arian had been pulled over for a traffic violation in Northridge, but refused to stop, which initiated a chase first on the streets, then on the 101 Freeway.
The LAPD are conducting a full investigation of the officer-involved shooting.