Coroner identifies man shot by police Saturday; police release more details

Officers shot and killed a man in Long Beach after someone reported he was holding a sub-machine gun, which tued out to be an Airsoft rifle missing any markings, police said Sunday.

Lionel Gibson, 21, of Long Beach was shot by police just before 5 p.m. Saturday in the area of 21st Street and Locust Avenue, Sgt. Megan Zabel of the Long Beach Police Department said.

His name was released Sunday by Investigator Selena Barros, of the coroner’s office.

A witness called police about 4:45 p.m. Saturday and reported seeing a man holding what looked like an Uzi talking to three people in a vehicle, Zabel told reporters at the scene.

When officers got to the location, they located the suspect and the vehicle and at least one police office opened fire, she said.

The man was struck and died at the scene despite officers’ attempts to render medical aid, Zabel said.

The Airsoft replica rifle was recovered near the suspect, Zabel said. The mock guns are usually marked with orange tips to alert police that they are not real, but this one was not, police said.

The three males in the vehicle were detained pending further investigation, she said.

A handgun was recovered from one of the individuals detained. He was arrested on suspicion of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

His name is not being released pending further investigation, police said.

Police said in a statement that all officer-involved shootings are reviewed by the Los Angeles County District Attoey’s Office and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detail at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.