LAPD reports mixed crime trends, describes officer-involved shootings and homicide probes

Los Angeles Police Department Chief McDonald told the Board of Police Commissioners on May 6 that overall city crime was down over a recent four‑week period but that some violent categories and officer‑involved incidents had risen.

In an opening summary, Chief McDonald said May is “law enforcement appreciation month” and that the department would observe National Police Week. He then reviewed specific incidents and statistical trends, including two officer‑involved shootings and multiple homicide investigations.

Why it matters: The chief’s update both reassured the commission about longer‑term drops in homicides and raised questions about recent increases in some person crimes and the department’s response or follow‑up in certain locations. Commissioners asked for administrative follow‑ups on earlier responses and for clarification about state oversight.

Chief McDonald described an April 23 incident in Southeast patrol: officers attempted a traffic stop of a suspect wanted for child abduction, who fled and was pursued onto a freeway ramp. The suspect, identified in the report as Osman Brezinho, exited his vehicle with a red and gray backpack. Officers repeatedly ordered him not to reach into the backpack; he then ran and an officer‑involved shooting occurred. The chief reported Brezinho was taken to a hospital, booked on unrelated charges and…