An unarmed man was killed and a sheriff's deputy was injured Thursday morning after a violent struggle turned deadly in a deputy-involved shooting in Compton, authorities said.
Sheriff's were responding to a call about a possible drunken driver just before midnight when they stopped a man driving a Toyota Tercel on Long Beach Boulevard near Pauline Street, said Lt. Eddie Hernandez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
During the stop, the driver of the car became involved in a violent struggle with the deputy, during which the man bit the deputy on his bicep before trying to grab his gun, Hernandez said.
The deputy fired shots at the man -- who did not have a weapon -- three times, but officials were not sure how many times the man was hit, Hernandez said.
The man, an unlicensed driver, was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. He is described Hispanic, about 42 years old.
Video from the scene showed the man’s body sprawled across the south side of the road, not yet covered by any sheet or plastic.
The injured deputy could be seen sitting up in the back of an ambulance. He was released from the hospital about 5:30 a.m.
Sheriff's Homicide Bureau detectives were sent to investigate the shooting, which will also be investigated by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the county Office of Independent Review.
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