INDUSTRY, CA – An investigation is underway in Southern California following the tragic death of a 17-year-old girl, who reportedly took her own life using a stolen firearm inside a sheriff’s office lobby. The incident occurred on Sunday night in the lobby of the Industry Sheriff’s Station, in the city of Industry, approximately 20 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
According to a statement that was released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, the teen approached the station’s lobby door at around 7:40 p.m., catching the attention of deputies inside. As the officers approached, the adolescent made a sudden move into the lobby and grabbed a holstered firearm from one of the deputies.
A struggle ensued as the deputies tried to disarm the teen who was now in possession of the deputy’s handgun. Amid the tussle, the juvenile inflicted a gunshot wound on herself. No additional civilians were in the vicinity during the incident, and none of the officers sustained injuries, authorities revealed.
The local Fire Department arrived on the scene shortly after the shooting and declared the teenager deceased. Details surrounding the event leading up to the incident remain unclear. However, initial findings from the homicide detectives implicate a “family disturbance call” to which station deputies responded earlier that day.
The girl’s identity has been withheld, awaiting notification to the next of kin. The teenager’s official cause of death will be ascertained following an autopsy by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office.
The incident continues to be under investigation.