All northbound lanes of the 101 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles reopened by Thursday afternoon after a fatal shooting involving a California Highway Patrol officer. The stretch was barricaded for hours, traffic backed up for miles, and investigators with the
Northbound traffic on the 101 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles was brought to a standstill for hours after a shooting involving a California Highway Patrol officer, leaving commuters staring at crime scene tape and patrol cars while investigators worked.
By Thursday afternoon, the delay ended: officials said the all northbound lanes of the 101 Freeway approaching downtown Los Angeles reopened in Boyle Heights. The all clear came around 4 p.m., about six hours after the freeway was initially barricaded.
The disruption began just before 9 a.m. when traffic was blocked north of 4th Street. A massive backup formed, stretching for miles as drivers were diverted during the ongoing investigation, according to a CHP log.
Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to the shooting on the northbound side of the freeway at 7:58 a.m. A department spokesperson said they took one person to a hospital. By 8:30 a.m. one person was pronounced dead. according to a statement from the California Department of Justice issued later in the day.
The shooting involved a CHP officer, but the specifics surrounding the incident remained unclear. CHP officials declined to provide information on the shooting or on why officers initially responded to the area. A CHP spokesperson referred questions to the California Department of Justice, which is tasked with investigating all officer-involved shootings.
Video from KTLA on Thursday morning showed crime scene tape on the freeway with several patrol cars in the area. Traffic appeared to be backed up for miles, and no further details were available by Thursday afternoon as investigators continued their work.
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