Officials identify man fatally shot by California Highway Patrol on Los Angeles freeway; probe opened by state AG

The California Department of Justice announced Monday that it was investigating after a state officer shot and killed a man in the middle of a Los Angeles freeway over the weekend.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office identified the man Tuesday as 34-year-old Jesse Dominguez. The deadly encounter occurred Sunday after the California Highway Patrol responded to reports of a male pedestrian walking along the westbound lanes of Interstate 105 in south Los Angeles County, the agency said.

A video captured by a bystander and circulated online showed the officer on top of Dominguez as they struggled in the middle of the freeway. Authorities said the CHP officer responding to the scene had attempted to convince Dominguez to get off the freeway, but he refused, and that led to a fight.

"During the struggle, the pedestrian was able to access a Taser he had in his possession, activated the weapon, and used the Taser against the officer," the CHP said in a statement. "Following the pedestrian’s use of the weapon against the officer, and in fear for his safety, the officer fired his service weapon."

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that his office and the state justice department are investigating the shooting under its policy of reviewing officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian. Under state law, a stun gun is not considered a lethal weapon.

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Video shows officer firing several shots

During the confrontation, all traffic along the westbound lanes was temporarily blocked. In the video posted online, the officer and Dominguez are seen scuffling before a shot is fired at close range.

The officer then jumps while Dominguez goes limp on the ground, the video shows. The officer fired several more shots at Dominguez as he lay motionless, according to the video.

Dominguez was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to authorities. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office said Dominguez's cause of death has not been officially determined.

The California Highway Patrol has not provided the officer's name or additional details about the incident.

In a joint statement Monday, State Sen. Steven Bradford, Assemblymember Mike Gipson, and Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker called for peace, and transparency from the California Highway Patrol and state justice department.

"The video of this shooting is deeply disturbing," Bradford said. "This appears to be an unnecessary use of deadly force. The community deserves answers. If the roles were reversed, people would be immediately calling for murder charges. I call on the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Justice to be transparent and for the community to be calm and patient during the investigation."

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Who was Jesse Dominguez?

Dominguez's family told the Los Angeles Times that he was an aspiring actor who they believe was experiencing a mental health episode or drug-fueled crisis during the fatal incident.

Dominguez had been struggling with substance abuse, mental health disorders, and homelessness, the newspaper reported. His family told the Times that Dominguez carried a Taser for protection after being threatened by others living at a facility where he had been staying.

"I don’t know why the officer thought to engage. If someone is walking on the freeway, something is not right. They’re either in mental health crisis or something else is happening," Akasha Dominguez, his stepmother, told the newspaper.

Contributing: The Associated Press