Two men fled after the Sunday afternoon confrontation, and police have not determined whether either was struck by gunfire.
LONG BEACH, CA — An off-duty Long Beach police officer fired at two men who allegedly robbed him at gunpoint Sunday afternoon in a residential neighborhood, police said. The officer was not injured, and the suspects remained at large as investigators worked to determine whether either man was wounded.
The confrontation occurred at about 1:30 p.m. July 12 near Bixby Road and Orange Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Police said one man pointed what investigators believe was a firearm at the officer while a second man robbed him. The officer then fired toward the men before they fled.
The Police Department has not released the officer’s name or said whether he was walking, standing outside or inside a vehicle when the encounter began. Officials also have not disclosed what property was taken, how many shots the officer fired or how the suspects escaped from the area.
Investigators had not determined whether either suspect was struck by the gunfire. Police did not immediately release descriptions of the men, and no arrests had been announced as of Tuesday. Authorities also have not said whether a weapon connected to the alleged robbery was recovered.
The shooting took place near the intersection of Bixby Road and Orange Avenue in the California Heights area of Long Beach. Images from the scene showed investigators working near a white sport utility vehicle and several evidence markers placed on the roadway. Police have not said whether the vehicle was connected to the officer or the suspects.
The department classified the gunfire as an officer-involved shooting even though the officer was off duty. Long Beach police said the robbery investigation and the review of the officer’s use of force are both continuing.
Under department procedure, the shooting will receive a full, multilevel review, police said. The agency did not provide details about the review’s expected timeline or say whether another law enforcement agency would take part.
The department described its initial account as preliminary information rather than a completed investigative report. Details could change as detectives examine evidence, seek witnesses and determine the sequence of events.
Police asked anyone with information about the robbery or shooting to contact Long Beach homicide detectives. The identities of the two suspects and their whereabouts remained unknown, and authorities had not announced the next formal update in the case.
Author note: Last updated July 14, 2026.