Homicide Report > Mario Jaramillo, 43
Mario Jaramillo, 43
Died March 27, 2010 at 9:03 p.m.
Mario Jaramillo, a 43-year-old Latino, was shot by police after stabbing himself Saturday, March 27, in the 10800 block of Prairie Avenue in Inglewood, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
The confrontation took place about 9:30 p.m., after officers were called to City Farm Market by employees who reported that a man was in the store threatening people with a knife, according to an Inglewood Police Department statement. Upon arrival, officers were informed that the man had been stabbing himself and was hiding on the premises. Following a trail of blood through the store, the officers arrived at a walk-in refrigerator.
The suspect exited the refrigerator holding an ax that he had found inside and made a movement toward an officer, the statement said. Two officers shot the man multiple times, police said.
The officers have been identified as Sgt. John Knapp, a 28-year veteran of the department, and Sgt. Greg Held, a nine-year veteran of the department. Investigations will be conducted by Inglewood police and the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
— Corina Knoll
- Neighborhood: Inglewood
- Age: 43
- Gender: Male
- Cause: Gunshot
- Day of the week: Saturday
- Agency: Inglewood PD
- Race/Ethnicity: Latino
- Circumstance: Officer-involved
- Crime scene: Commercial building
28 reader comments about Mario Jaramillo
Once again...did they have to shoot to kill this man? couldnt they have shot his arms or legs? he had no gun! Noone knows what this man was going through or why he was acting this way ...yes he is wrong for comming at officers like that but he had no gun and they still feared for their life the same way if he had a gun...shoot for the arms or legs next time!!
March 31, 2010 at 5:52 p.m.
Donna, only in the movies do they aim for and hit the legs and arms.
It rarely happens that way in real life.
March 31, 2010 at 6:55 p.m.
In the City of Lennox the cops are not respectful
March 31, 2010 at 8:54 p.m.
Mario was my cousin and although I have not spoken with him since we were kids I will always remember he was very funny and fun to be around. I will miss him very much. I wish things didn't end like this. What upsets me the most is that the cops didn't fully investigate his mental condition before shooting him to death or used bean bags that are not leathal. If the shoe was on the other foot I bet those cops would want someone to think more and shoot less.
March 31, 2010 at 11:19 p.m.
Anyone who charges at police with a weapon can expect to be shot and killed. This is not a new trend. Police officers have to think safety first or many more officers would be killed. They are out there to protect our lives and theirs. A person's mental condition may explain why they are swinging an ax or pointing a gun but it does not excuse it. Would this story be better if the police wouldn't have shot him and an officer was killed? Would it be more comforting that the officer died because the man had a mental condition and now the killer is receiving treatment to sort out his mental issues?
April 1, 2010 at 5:48 a.m.
Simple case of Suicide By Cop. Charge at them with an axe and you WILL get shot. You morons.
April 1, 2010 at 10:54 a.m.
Police shoot at the center mass. They do not take chances with their lives or the lives of innocents they protect. They do a dangerous job and have families at home they are trying to get back to. It is too bad that this guy was disturbed. It certainly isn't the fault of the police. It is a tragedy but the police did their jobs they way we want them to.
April 1, 2010 at 3:51 p.m.
I realize the police officers do a dangerous duty and they suppost to protect, but I agree that they could shoot any suspect on legs or arms but not to kill them. They are trained well to shoot to a target, so they can shoot any other part of the body. PLEASE NO MORE ABUSE OR KILLINGS BY POLICE.
April 2, 2010 at 8:58 p.m.
For the people that are saying, "shoot the suspect in the arms or in the legs", have you every fired a weapon? This is not a video game, also if you shoot someone in the arm or in the leg, when they are charging you and carring a weapon with the intent to harm you, who is to say they will stop, especially if they have unknown issues like Mr. Jaramillo. I feel for his family, but at the same time, if he was stabbing himself to begin with, whe wanted to die, there is no reason to blame the police.
April 4, 2010 at 12:54 a.m.
I Think we need REAL MEN in The Police Department. You don't need to say they have FAMILY if the're affray why they don't do another JOB. THEY GET TRAINING WHY THEY ALWAYS " KILL " , AND LATER WE NEED TO PAY WITH OWR TAXES FOR THE COMPLAINS. THEY FEEL REAL MEN CUZ THEY HAVE GUN AND WE DON'T NEED THAT PEOPLE, WE NEED REAL MEN TO HANDLE ANY PROBLEM NOT SHUT AND FINISH. WHY WE DON'T VOTE FOR A NEW LAW TO MAKE THEM PAY FFOR THEY'RE MISTAKES?
April 4, 2010 at 12:59 a.m.
EL CRECIO EN EL SERENO JUNTO A SU HERMANO RAUL. Y ME CONSTA QUE ERA UNA PERSONA MUY RESPETUOSA AL IGUAL SU HERMANO RAUL NUNCA LE FALTAN EL RESPETO A NADIE, LO QUE PASA ES QUE TENEMOS QUE CUIDARNO MAS DE LA POLICIA PORQUE ELLOS SI SON ASESINOS CON UNIFORME.
PIENSO QUE SI QUIEREN MATAR PORQUE NO SE VAN A LA GUERRA, AHI PUEDEN MATAR HASTA CANSARSE, SE SUPONE QUE ESTAN ENTRENADOS, SERA PARA MATAR O PROTEGER?
April 4, 2010 at 3:17 a.m.
ESTAN ENTRENADOS PARA MATAR O PROTEGER?
April 4, 2010 at 3:18 a.m.
HAY QUE CUIDARSE DE LOS ASESINOS CON UNIFORME PORQUE TAL PARECE QUE ESTAN ENTRENADOS PARA MATAR NO PARA PROTEGER
April 4, 2010 at 3:21 a.m.
Vecino,, what exactly are you trying to say here
"WE MUST TAKE CARE OF THE KILLERS WITH UNIFORM BECAUSE THIS SEEMS THAT ARE TRAINED TO KILL NOT TO PROTECT THE GREW UP IN THE SERENE NEXT TO HIS BROTHER RAUL. AND ME CONSISTS THAT IT WAS ONE VERY RESPECTFUL PERSON AS HIS BROTHER RAUL NEVER LACKING RESPECT FOR ANYONE, WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT CUIDARNO WE HAVE MORE THAN POLICE BECAUSE THEM IF THEY ARE MURDERERS IN UNIFORM. I THINK THAT IF THEY WANT TO KILL BECAUSE NOT BE VAN TO THE WAR, THERE CAN KILL TO GET TIRED, IS ASSUMES THAT ARE TRAINED, WILL BE TO KILL OR PROTECT? ARE TRAINED TO KILL OR PROTECT"
April 6, 2010 at 1:34 p.m.
Bunch of these damn comments don't even make sense. All you clowns seem to have the answer for how to shoot an armed suspect. That's why none of you clowns are cops, maybe wanna-be's. You shoot to kill someone who is armed if they seem threatening plain and simple. You clowns will soon say shoot him on the nails don't hurt him. That's the way it is you play you pay.
April 9, 2010 at 5:30 p.m.
Life is cheap in the USA. Kids shooting kids, cops shooting kids, people defending it all... Violence is the only thing Americans seem to respect.
April 11, 2010 at 10:54 p.m.
rest in peace mario only you know what you were going through but now you CAN rest we wont be seeing you anymore but we know you wont suffer anymore your neighbor always take care WE WILL MISS YOU
April 14, 2010 at 2:36 p.m.
I can only say that Mario was a great man who during his last moments of his life was going through some mental problems. I am not a cop so I can't put myself in their situation, but I hope their superiors will execute the investigation without being bias. If any regulation was crossed, then I hope the department will address it firmly and my brother-in-laws death won't be invane. One love to the Jaramillo Family.
April 16, 2010 at 8:15 a.m.
Yes, police do practice on targets but I doubt those targets are running or swinging axes at them.
Center mass is where you have to aim in order to stop someone from coming at you.
If the guy was on drugs (and I'm not saying that about this case), getting shot in the arms or legs might not have made a difference.
I may be mmissing something here but I don't understand why this is listed as a homicide.
May 25, 2010 at 12:23 p.m.
Most police departments maintain a 21 foot blade shoot policy (innumerable studies have proven this is the lethal area to police officers). They shoot center mass to stop the threat. The idea that they have time to ascertain a suspect's mental state (even if it matters) is ludricrous.
July 24, 2010 at 6:54 p.m.
We are Not trained to shoot someone in the arms or legs. We are trained to Kill ONLY. So when you see us pull the guns, GET DOWN
Sept. 30, 2010 at 9:57 a.m.
Donna;
Police do not shoot to wound a suspect. A knife represents a deadly threat and police are trained to consider a radius of 21 feet a death zone. This appears to be a lawful shoot.
Aug. 22, 2011 at 8:24 a.m.
random cop, you are a perfect example why abiding citizens dislike cops!
Aug. 22, 2011 at 3:34 p.m.
@ Jag-
Not necessarily, I am a law abiding citizen and I thank God everyday that we have cops!
Again, the lesson is simple...If they order you to drop your weapon, you either drop it or die. Why is that so hard to understand?
For those that don't understand the 21 ft' death zone...The suspect could be an expert knife thrower, the cops DO NOT have time to make the assumption whether they are or not. With innocent lives on the line the assumption must be drawn to the worst case scenario, IMMEDIATELY.
Should they just have bean bags or rubber bullets they would be living marks to the sociopaths that have no regard for the innocence. Not to mention if they just wound the suspect, chances are they would get sued by them or their family, suspended off the force for not following orders to execute the center mass target shot, and innocent lives can or would be threatened by the wounded suspect!!!
Live by the sword...
Aug. 23, 2011 at 9:33 a.m.
Your post is no or breaking news to any reader in the HR. I believe we already know cops shoot to kill. About 10% of homicides are committed by cops. Duh!!
Aug. 24, 2011 at 10 a.m.
It's probably more like 3%. And about 3% of them are probably unwarranted.
No breaking news to any reader in the HR, huh? By reading a lot of the posts, there seems to be a ton of confusion as to why a cop not only uses real bullets, but actually shoots to kill with them.
Read more. Perhaps do a ride along once.
Aug. 24, 2011 at 3:21 p.m.
mightymike33tm3, first you are wrong it's 10%. Get your facts straight before you post any number. Second, as you may find it hard to believe I have several friends and family members that are cops. I have a lot of insight and ALL of them have told me their job is not what you see in the movies. In fact, they tell me their job is boring. A lot of calls for non serious crimes. In rare instances they will be face with the real deal. I believe this is the moment cops get an adrenalin rush and ready to shoot!
Aug. 25, 2011 at 9:28 a.m.
weather the cops were justifyable or not , MY BEST FRIEND is no longer with us. 1985 was the year i met him and i never known him to be violent towards anybody. he had a heart of gold.. i will miss you bro. my condolenses to the JARAMILLO family. rest in peace my friend. tu mejor amigo.. Roman....
Sept. 28, 2011 at 9:57 p.m.
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