Armed man on Long Beach rooftop killed by police is identified

Officials on Sunday released the name of a 42-year-old man who was shot to death on a rooftop by Long Beach police officers.

Police said he went up to the roof with a gun after attempting to carjack a person.

The man was identified as Jaime Rodriguez, 42, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office. His city of residence was not available.

Officers were dispatched at 11:10 a.m. Saturday to the 1100 block of East 17th Street regarding “a dispute involving a person with a gun,” said Officer Paige White of the Long Beach Police Department. Arriving officers spotted Rodriguez on a roof with what they believed was a firearm in his hand, she said.

Broadcast video showed him pacing on the roof of a two-story building, behaving in an agitated manner and holding what appeared to be a handgun.

“Officers made several attempts to de-escalate the situation, as the man refused to put down the firearm,” White said. “Officers established a perimeter, activated SWAT and advised nearby residents to evacuate and/or shelter in place.”

When he still refused to put down the handgun, officers discharged less-lethal foam projectiles but he still did not comply, White said.

“After approximately 20 minutes, the man pointed the firearm at officers, which resulted in officers discharging their handguns and an AR-15 patrol rifle,” she said. “The man continued to manipulate the firearm in his hand and refused to follow multiple commands to drop the firearm.”

The gun was recovered at the scene, police said. No officers were injured.