Suspect dead, Glendale cop OK after shooting

The officer, a 20-year veteran, was protected from serious injury by a bulletproof vest.

"If he wasn't wearing his vest he probably wouldn't have been with us today," said Glendale police spokesman Officer John Balian said. "It should be a lesson to all law enforcement officers in the nation to always wear their vest. I know it's cumbersome, but it's the best insurance policy you can have."

The man who allegedly shot and injured the officer in a commercial district near South Adams and East Colorado Streets was later shot and killed by police, Balian said.

Police had blocked off three crime scenes in the area this morning, and had not released the name of the injured officer or the dead man, who was described only as an adult male.

Balian said the incident began at around 9:30 p.m. Monday after another officer driving in the area stopped to question the man, who Balian said was acting "suspiciously." As that officer left his car, the man drew a handgun and fired over his shoulder as he fled, Balian said.

That officer did not initially return fire, Balian said. "He was taking cover and putting out a broadcast [for backup] at the same time that he was being shot [at]," Balian said.

As the gunman fled south on South Adams Street to East Elk Avenue a few minutes later, two more officers arrived, and the man traded gunfire with them from the bushes, hitting one.

Police then shot and wounded the man, who collapsed and died in the 300 block of South Chevy Chase Drive.

Investigators later recovered a handgun from the scene, Balian said. The officer who was struck spoke with investigators this morning, and will be taking several days off in accordance with department policy on officer-involved shootings, Balian said.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com