The Region - News from Jan. 5, 1987

A man who allegedly pointed a starter’s pistol at a group of people was shot and wounded by a Los Angeles police officer when he did not obey an order to drop the gun, an investigator said. Daniel Gonzalez, 21, was in critical condition at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, said Lt. Charles Higbie, the department’s investigator of shootings involving officers. Higbie said two officers spotted a parked stolen car and, while they watched it, a fight broke out among 15 to 20 people nearby. One of the people went to the car and appeared to take something from the trunk, he said. The officers then saw a man point a gun at several of the people, Higbie said. One of the officers identified himself, ordered the man to drop the weapon and fired one shot when the man failed to obey, he said. Higbie said the starter pistol was not pointed at the officers. He also said Gonzalez was not the person who opened the car trunk and was not connected to the theft of the vehicle.