Updated January 29 at 1:45pm. The suspect, has now been charged with two counts of Attempt with a Deadly Weapon on a Police Officer and bail has been set at $120,000.
Burbank Police Officers were forced to shoot a man after he reportedly tried to ram his pickup truck into officers after a short pursuit on Victory Blvd. near Pass Ave. ended around 4:10 am Thursday morning.
Events started when police received a call from a woman who was in the area of Buena Vista and Victory who said she had been kidnapped.
Officers arrived on-scene in less than two minutes and began interviewing the 36 year-old female near the 99 Cent Store on Victory, just west of Buena Vista where she called from. She gave a very specific description of the suspect vehicle which police spotted a short time later matching the suspect vehicle description traveling west on Victory Blvd.
According to police, officers tried to stop the suspect vehicle, but the driver failed to yield and a pursuit took place, wherein the suspect fled at a high rate of speed and ran red signal lights.
The suspect, identified as 21 year-old Arthur Papiyan, pulled over on Victory Blvd. and Pass Ave. where two officers in the pursuing police car initiated a high risk (“felony”) stop, during which they would call the suspect back to them.
The suspect placed his truck into reverse, backed up and subsequently struck the police car, at which time officers fired at the driver in the truck.
Papiyan was apparently struck in his back by one round, which had gone through the driver seat. The bullet lost enough momentum that it did not penetrate Papiyan’s skin, but rather caused a significant bruise.
He was treated at a local hospital and is being booked into the Burbank City Jail for assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer. His bail has been set at $50,000 and is due to appear in court Monday morning.
The female victim told investigators she was at a house party somewhere in South Los Angeles and left on foot. A man drove up next to her and offered her a ride, which she accepted. They got on the freeway, but the driver did not get off at the correct exit.
She said the man then placed rag over her face and the next thing she recalls is being out of the truck, near railroad tracks. The victim, who was uninjured, walked to the 99 Cent Store, where she called the police.
Thus far, detectives have been unable to verify the victim’s account and Papiyan is not being booked for kidnapping at this time. The female victim is being uncooperative with investigators and was arrested for two outstanding misdemeanor prostitution warrants.
Burbank Police Detectives are investigating the criminal aspect of this case, which is ongoing. Representatives from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office were on-scene and will also be investigating this case. In addition, members of the Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau are conducting an independent parallel administrative investigation.
The officers were not injured in the incident.
