Blake Preston-Teen grabs deputy's firearm then shoots herself inside LA sheriff's office lobby: Police

2025-05-06 03:45:38source:John Caldwellcategory:Stocks

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Southern California officials are investigating after a teenager died of a reported-self inflicted gunshot wound Sunday night after she allegedly stole a gun from a deputy inside a sheriff's office lobby.

According to information from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office, the shooting took place after a struggle inside the agency's Industry Sheriff's Station. The city of Industry, about 20 miles southeast of downtown L.A.

Just after 7:40 p.m. deputies found a 17-year-old girl knocking on the front door of the station lobby, the agency wrote in a press release.

The deputies walked to the lobby door and the juvenile "lunged into the lobby and reached for the deputy’s holstered firearm and took possession of it," according to the release.

A struggle took place between the deputies and teenager armed with the deputy’s firearm, the release continues, and during the struggle, the teen suffered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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Teen pronounced dead inside sheriff's station lobby

No other civilians were in the lobby at the time of the shooting and no deputies were harmed when the teen reportedly fired the gun, officials said. The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the scene and pronounced the teen dead, the agency reported.

Los Angeles coroner to determine teen's official cause of death

According to a preliminary investigation by homicide detectives, investigators learned the incident stemmed from "a family disturbance call" deputies from station responded to shortly before the incident.

Investigators did not elaborate on the family disturbance and could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY.

As of late Sunday night the teen's identity was not being release pending next of kin notification, officials said.

The office of The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the teen's official cause and manner of death.

The girl's death remained under investigation on Monday.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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