5/30/23 at 4:30 pm – UPDATE BELOW
An investigation is underway following an officer-involved shooting that has left one person dead.
On May 27, 2023, at about 4:00 p.m., the Burbank Police Department received a phone call from a man claiming he was in a vehicle in the parking lot of Home Depot, located at 1200 South Flower Street, armed with a gun, saying he was going to shoot people.
The call came in through the Highway Patrol line and was transferred to the Burbank Police Department. The man provided the Communications Center operator with the make and color of the vehicle he was in and the location in the parking lot.
When the officers arrived, they located the man still seated in a vehicle at the location described. The officers and the man had a brief verbal exchange followed by the suspect’s aggressive actions of taking a shooting stance which precipitated an officer-involved shooting.
Officers immediately summoned medical aid. The Burbank Fire Department responded and transported the man to Providence Holy Cross Trauma Center where he succumbed to his injuries.
Burbank Police Chief Mike Albanese arrived at the scene and notified myBurbank that all of the officers were fine and not injured during the shooting. The last officer-involved fatal shooting that took place in Burbank was March of 2021 at the Quality Inn in Burbank.
The identity of the deceased is not being released at this time pending identification by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office. Burbank Police detectives, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the Department of Justice have been notified and will be responding to the scene.
Prior to the circumstance, the Watch Commander contacted Home Depot to lock down the store. Customers remained in the store for pending interviews and will be able to pick up their vehicles at a later time.
Watch the press event at Home Depot with PIO Sergeant Brent Fekety here.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Burbank Police Department Investigations Division at (818) 238-3210.
Editor’s Note: UPDATE 5/30/23 – Burbank police Sgt. Brent Fekety sent out an update today with the following new information:
“…the Burbank Police Department received a phone call from a man claiming he was in a vehicle in the parking lot of Home Depot, located at 1200 South Flower Street, armed with a “25 Beretta,” saying he was going to shoot people.”
“Investigators continue to review body-worn camera footage, in-car camera footage, and surveillance footage of the incident. A search of the deceased and his vehicle did not reveal a firearm. The object the deceased pointed at the officers was determined to be a knife.”
“Pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506, the California Department of Justice will independently review this officer-involved shooting.“
