3 LAPD officers at fault in 2 fatal shootings, police commission finds

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Three officers with the Los Angeles Police Department were found to have violated department policy in the shooting deaths of two people in 2015, the Los Angeles Police Commission concluded Tuesday afternoon.

The commission, which is made up of civilians who oversee the LAPD, found that the officers acted out of department policy in the fatal shootings of James Byrd and Norma Guzman.

Byrd, 46, was shot and killed on Oct. 3, 2015, after police said he threw a bottle at a police cruiser in Van Nuys, shattering the back window.

LAPD said the officers, identified as Zackary Goldstein and Andrew Hacoupian, believed they were under attack when they opened fire. Byrd was pronounced dead at the scene.

The commission found that both Goldstein and Hacoupian violated department policy on the use of deadly force.

Guzman, 37, was shot and killed by officers in South Los Angeles the morning of Sept. 27, 2015. LAPD stated Guzman was armed with an 8-inch serrated knife and refused to follow orders to drop it.

Surveillance video released by Guzman's family showed her walking toward two officers, who were later identified as Samuel Briggs and Antonio McNeely.

MORE: Video of woman fatally shot by LAPD in South LA released

With a parked car between her and the officers, the closest officer opened fire, with his partner following suit.

The commission found that one of the two officers acted out of department policy with their use of deadly force against Guzman. The commission report indicated that the higher-ranked of the two officers acted out of department policy, but did not indicate who was the higher-ranked officer out of Briggs and McNeely.

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck would decide what disciplinary steps to take, if any, against the officers who were determined as acting out of policy by the police commission.

City News Service contributed to this report.