Deputies in Compton responded to a call on November 3, 2022, reporting a person with an axe trying to harm patrons at a business on South Santa Fe Avenue. The suspect, identified as 46-year-old Ramiro Lozano, was seen walking north from the business with the axe still in hand.
As deputies searched for Lozano, he made his way to the Compton Towne Center Plaza, running along the southside of a business with the hatchet in hand.
Deputies followed Lozano in their patrol vehicles to the front entrance of the business where a patron was exiting. One of the deputies ordered Lozano to stop, but he did not comply, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred.
Lozano was shot in the torso, and deputies provided first aid until paramedics from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No one else was injured in the incident, and the hatchet was recovered at the scene.
The circumstances surrounding the call reporting Lozano’s behavior with the axe and his actions at the business are unclear. The incident is currently under investigation by the Compton Sheriff’s Station. The use of force by the deputy involved in the shooting will also be reviewed by the department.
This incident is the latest in a string of violent incidents in the Compton area. In recent years, the city has experienced an increase in violent crime, including homicides, shootings, and robberies. Community leaders and law enforcement officials have been working to address the issue, but the high rate of violent crime continues to be a concern for residents.
The Compton Sheriff’s Station encourages anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the department.