James Renee White Jr., a 21-year-old black man, was killed in an officer-involved shooting Monday, May 12, at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.
About 1:15 a.m., officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s North Hollywood Division responded to a call of a large unruly group at Universal City Walk, according to a news release from the department.
When officers arrived, they saw a large crowd. While attempting to determine what was going on, gunshots rang out in the crowd, which was near a packed nightclub.
Officers, while taking cover, saw White armed with a weapon, and according to the news release “an officer involved shooting occurred.”
Cell phone videos of the incident show a crowd outside the bar and a fire alarm blaring before two gunshots are heard. At that point, people run for cover.
White was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:40 a.m., said Ed Winter, a coroner’s spokesman.
Two bystanders were injured running from the scene, where a gun was recovered.
The incident is the first slaying at City Walk in nearly 20 years. In 1995, a man fatally stabbed his mother and the mother of his children in the complex's parking lot.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Force Investigation Division at (213) 486-5230. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.