Man shot by LAPD did not point a gun

A man shot and wounded last week by Los Angeles police in Westlake did not point a gun at officers, despite an initial report by the LAPD that he had, authorities said.

Jason Bangle, 39, was shot about 10 p.m. Tuesday in the 600 block of South Coronado Street, police said. The incident began when officers were flagged down by pedestrians who said they were threatened by two men armed with a handgun, according to a Police Department statement.

Officers found two men nearby, but the pair did not comply with orders to stop, police say.

Bangle, according to the statement, crouched behind a vehicle with his hands “in his waistband” and had begun to move toward one of the officers when he was shot.

Authorities did not identify the officer or officers who fired, or specify the number of shots fired. No officers were injured. Bangle was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition, police said.

A handgun was recovered at the scene, according to the release. The other man, Craig Curry, 37, was arrested without incident.

“Initial reports at the scene stated that the suspect pointed a handgun at the officers,” the LAPD statement said. “As the investigation progressed, it was determined that the suspect did not point a handgun at the officers.”

The department did not explain how detectives determined the initial report was wrong. A spokesman declined to answer additional questions about the incident.