The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office confirmed Monday the man killed during a deputy-involved shooting Oct. 3 was fatally shot by deputies.
At the time of the incident, it was unclear whether Christopher Mosco, 32, had been struck by responding deputies’ fire, or if he had fatally turned the gun on himself at the residence located on the 24000 block of Chicory Court.
“The preliminary investigation of the detectives, along with the coroner, ruled that it was confirmed that he died by deputy gunfire,” said Deputy Juanita Navarro-Suarez of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau on Monday. “(The detectives) said the investigation is ongoing and the facts of the case will be submitted to the (Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office) for final review.”
Navarro-Suarez said that the determination of whether the shooting was justified is made by the District Attorney’s Office once they have made their own review of the facts.
The L.A. County Coroner’s website lists the manner of Mosco’s death as “homicide,” meaning that the fatal gunshot wound he suffered was caused by another person or persons.
The shooting stemmed from a family disturbance call that was reported in the Stevenson Ranch neighborhood, according to law enforcement personnel.
“The call stated a male at the location was acting erratic. The call was updated stating the male was now suicidal,” read the statement released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at the time of the shooting. “Deputies arrived at the location and observed a male in a second-story window armed with a long gun.”
Deputies attempted to gain his compliance and repeatedly told him to lay down his weapon, officials said, but Mosco ultimately pointed his weapon at the deputies and the shooting occurred at 4:23 p.m.
Mosco was shot once in the upper torso and, despite first responders attempting life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead on the scene.
“Detectives are processing evidence at the scene and conducting interviews with witnesses,” said the law enforcement press release from last week. “A firearm was recovered at the scene.”
